Body image distress now big mental health issue, finds AIIMS-ICMR study

Body image anxiety among young Indians is not just a “weight problem”; it is a whole-person issue affecting mind, body, relationships and hopes for the future.

A Whole Person Care approach at Ashok One Hospital and Raahat views every young person not as a body size, but as a unique human being carrying stories, pressures and strengths.ashokone+4​

What the AIIMS–ICMR Study Shows

• An AIIMS–ICMR study on 1,071 young adults (18–30 years) found that nearly half of underweight (about 47%) and obese (about 49%) participants had moderate to severe body image distress, compared with roughly one-third among those with normal or overweight status.indiaherald+2​

• Underweight youth were almost twice as likely, and obese youth nearly three times as likely, to experience body image distress compared to normal-weight peers, showing that both extremes suffer silently.telegraphindia+1​

How Body Image Anxiety Feels in Real Life

• Distress shows up differently: obese youth often report high self‑consciousness and loss of confidence, while underweight youth more commonly experience anxiety, loneliness and embarrassment.ocacademy+1​

• Across the whole group, more than half were constantly thinking about their weight, over one‑third felt less confident and many felt judged or isolated, which can affect studies, work, friendships and spiritual well‑being.telegraphindia+1​

Why Whole Person Care Matters

• The study team emphasised that weight management cannot succeed without addressing emotional and psychological concerns; unaddressed distress is a major reason young people drop out of lifestyle and diet programmes.ptinews+1​

• Experts called for person‑centred care with early psychological screening, integrated nutrition services and body‑image‑sensitive counselling, especially in educational institutions—exactly the kind of integrated approach Whole Person Care aims to provide.ndtv+1​

How Ashok One Hospital and Raahat Can Help

• Ashok One Hospital functions as a Total Person Healthcare Centre, combining internal medicine, endocrinology, psychiatry, counselling, physiotherapy and other specialties with an emphasis on compassionate listening and human touch.ashokone+2

  
  

  

• Raahat is a dedicated Whole Person Care and wellness space focused on comfort, restoration and rejuvenation of mind, body, soul and spirit, offering counselling and support for issues like body image, social media pressure and anxiety.ashokone+1​

Practical Steps for Young Indians and Families

• If you are struggling with how you look—whether underweight, “normal”, overweight or obese—seek help early; screening for mood, anxiety, sleep, eating patterns and social media impact alongside medical checks can prevent problems from getting entrenched.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih+2​

• Families, teachers and faith communities can help by avoiding comments that shame appearance, focusing on health and character rather than size, and encouraging balanced routines: movement, nutritious eating, sleep, offline friendships, spiritual practices and limited, mindful screen use.ashokone+2​

If you or someone you care for is facing body image distress, you can reach out to Ashok One Hospital’s counselling and mental health services or connect with Raahat for Whole Person Care support and guidance.ashokone+2

Links and resources​

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