Author(s): Pragati Ghosh and Avijna Ray

Abstract:

Purpose: This study aimed to understand how a person’s ability to accept and adapt to fluctuations in their body shape and size might influence their likelihood of engaging in intermittent fasting practices.

Methods: This was cross-sectional observational study, samples for the study was the college students who were studying in NSHM Knowledge Campus, Kolkata. Purposive sampling method was used to choose the sample and the sample size was 200, samples were selected based on inclusion criteria. For data collection four types of questionnaire were used, those are self-esteem Knowledge Attitude and Practice questionnaire for measuring intermittent fasting, Body image acceptance and action questionnaire for measuring body image flexibility, Kuppuswamy’s socio-economic status scale, 2017 to assess socio-economic status and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess sleep quality. Statistical analysis were performed for data analysis by using SPSS 16.0 Version.

Results: Association between body image flexibility status and intermittent fasting practice status was statistically significant, as the p-value is 0.02(<0.05) and the direction was in negative. Also the association between socio-economic status and body image status was statistically significant and the direction was in positive. This suggest that there is a negative association between body image flexibility and intermittent fasting, high levels of body image flexibility indicates lower interest of engaging in intermittent fasting behaviour and individual with lower body image flexibility are more inclined to adapt intermittent fasting approach. Socio-economic status of family can positively influences this association. Furthermore, a statistically significant association was also observed between sleep quality status and body image flexibility status. Participants with higher body image flexibility tended to report better sleep quality, whereas individuals with lower body image flexibility were more likely to experience poor sleep quality. This highlights the possible psychophysiological link between body image perception and overall sleep health among young adults.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/23957476.2025.v11.i3g.2038