Abstract: Researches suggest that people’s perception about menopause largely depends on the inhe... more Abstract: Researches suggest that people’s perception about menopause largely depends on the inherent sociocultural context. In some of the developed countries of the west, menopause is viewed pessimistically. So, the understanding of this reproductive phase as a health risk and the approach to medicalise it are more pronounced in these countries. Some studies show that presently, to certain extent, people from developing countries are espousing menopause in a similar way like the west. The present study aims to understand the knowledge, attitude and perception of urban middle class women of West Ben-gal (India) toward menopause. The data have been collected on post menopausal women from their lived experience. The result shows that women of this study group are not much concerned with menopause and menopausal problems and do not perceive this reproductive episode of their life as health risk. It seems that the sociocultural perspective of the Bengali middle class epitomize menopaus...
It has been observed that menstrual characteristics are generally influenced by lifestyle, socio-... more It has been observed that menstrual characteristics are generally influenced by lifestyle, socio-cultural and biological factors. The present study examines: (a) variation in menstrual characteristics between rural and urban adolescents; and (b) whether these characteristics can be predicted from various socio-economic variables related to place of residence. The sample of the present study constituted 715 adolescent girls from rural (325) and urban (390) areas of West Bengal, a State of India. These girls belong to a Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group. Data on socio-economic variables and menstrual characteristics were collected using pretested questionnaires. Rural and urban adolescents differed significantly (p < or = 0.05) with respect to age at menarche, skipped and irregular cycles, premenstrual syndrome, duration of menstrual discharge, mean number of days of peak discharge and problems related to menstrual discharge. Place of residence was found to be a significant predictor of age at menarche (beta = 0.27, p < 0.01). Significant association was observed between some of the socio-economic variables and various menstrual characteristics among the study participants. Menstrual characteristics differ significantly between rural and urban adolescents. Moreover, various socio-economic variables pertaining to place of residence significantly affect the menstrual characteristics among adolescents.
This paper presents a global review of research done on adolescent eating behaviours and food cho... more This paper presents a global review of research done on adolescent eating behaviours and food choices and the probable factors underlying it. Worldwide adolescent girls tend to develop moderate to high level of disordered eating behaviour as a result of their excessive concern with body weight or obsession with thinness. The objective of the review is to understand the concerns over body weight and the current eating patterns of adolescent girls in the developed and developing countries.
Squatter dwellers are found in almost all the Third World countries. Poor living condition is the... more Squatter dwellers are found in almost all the Third World countries. Poor living condition is the characteristic feature of all the squatter settlements. Again, poor living condition is also associated with the health condition of the squatter dwellers. In the present study, an attempt has been made to compare and contrast the living condition of two social groups (Hindu and Muslim) inhabiting a squatter settlement in Calcutta, India. The results show that the overall living condition of the Muslim is worse than the Hindu. The morbidity pattern is also worse in the Muslim than in the Hindu.
Menopause is a universal phenomenon, which not only marks the end of reproductive life of a woman... more Menopause is a universal phenomenon, which not only marks the end of reproductive life of a woman, but also introduces her to a new phase of life. Studies across the world show that besides hormonal changes, there are a number of other biological, demographic and socioeconomic factors which affect the menopausal life of a woman. The present study attempts to find out (1) the predictor variables of menopausal age and some menopausal symptoms and (2) the perception and attitudes of urban women towards menopause. Data lzave been collected from 175 postmenopausal women belonging to Bengali speaking Hindu ethnic group. A pre-tested questionnaire has been used to collect quantitative data on the socioeconomic and demographic aspects, reproductive histon; and menopausal symptoms of the participants. Some case studies have also been made to understand the attitude and perception of these urban women towards menopause. Results suggest that age at menopause, attainment of menopause at an earl...
Menstrual cycle is an endocrine function of the ovary, controlled by the hypothalamus-pituitary-g... more Menstrual cycle is an endocrine function of the ovary, controlled by the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. Variation in menstrual characters across different ages, socioeconomic status, place of residence, ethnic groups and so on suggests that the function of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis is influenced by some internal and external factors. The objectives of the present study are to understand the variation in menstrual characters with respect to differential marital status of women and as well as to find out whether marital status can be a significant predictor of any menstrual character. Data have been collected on a total number of 200 participants (unmarried 100 and married 100) with the help of a well-tested questionnaire/schedule. Unmarried participants who are aged between 18 and 21 years and their closest blood related married kin members who are in the age group 25-35 years, have given birth to at least one child, presently not lactating or family way and are not u...
The present study investigates: (i) differences in menstrual characteristics of athlete and non-a... more The present study investigates: (i) differences in menstrual characteristics of athlete and non-athlete adolescents; (ii) relationship between menstrual characteristics, anthropometric variables, athletic status and socioeconomic status. The present study was conducted among 159 unmarried adolescents (80 non-athletes and 79 athletes) of age 15 to 19 years. The study participants belong to Bengali speaking Hindu ethnic group of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal State of India. Data were collected on socio-demographic and menstrual characteristics using pre-tested questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were taken following standard methods. Descriptive statistics were used to understand the differences in menstrual characteristics between athletes and non-athletes, stepwise linear regression analyses were carried out to predict age at menarche, menstrual cycle length and duration of menstrual discharge using socio-demographic and anthropometric variables as well as athleti...
Food insecurity and poor nutrition remain a problem in many developing countries, including India... more Food insecurity and poor nutrition remain a problem in many developing countries, including India. Studies show that half of the malnourished children of the world are from Indian subcontinent. A number of socioeconomic factors may affect the prevalence of undernutrition. The present investigation was undertaken to estimate the level of undernutrition among children aged 5-10 years and to find out its association with family income and parental education. This cross-sectional study was undertaken on a group of school children studying in seven primary schools of Birati and Nimta, of the district of North-24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. A total number of 302 children (boys = 145; girls = 157), aged 5-10 year were studied. Anthropometric measurements were taken on the children using standard instruments and protocols. Socioeconomic information was collected from the household of children using standard questionnaire. The overall rates of stunting, underweight and wasting among the st...
Human population inhabits almost all the parts of the world. Take for example the Arctic dwellers... more Human population inhabits almost all the parts of the world. Take for example the Arctic dwellers like, Eskimos. These people are the original inhabitants of the arctic regions. They have developed certain common adaptive features for their survival in that environment. But, let us think of an individual or a group of individuals who have migrated to the Arctic region from the tropical or temperate region, what may happen to them? Since these tropical people do not have the adaptive features like the Arctic dwellers, can they survive? The answer is yes. This demonstrates the plasticity of human phenotypes in their capacity to adjust to a wide range of environmental stress.
The Oriental Anthropologist: A Bi-annual International Journal of the Science of Man
The main objective of the paper has been to explore the association of media exposure with percep... more The main objective of the paper has been to explore the association of media exposure with perception of body image and eating behavior among a group of adolescent boys. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 102 adolescent boys belonging to the Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group, who were between the ages of 14 and 19 years, living in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, body image perception and attitude, media exposure and eating behavior were collected using standard pre-tested questionnaires. It was observed that around half of the participants expressed dissatisfaction with a desire to have a healthy body shape. Although participants, who generally spent more than one hour a day on watching television or browsing internet or reading magazine articles, were more dissatisfied with their body image than the others; yet no significant association was found between any of the media and satisfaction level of their body image. Results further revealed that majority of the participants have normal eating behavior and only 10% of the participants, who were dissatisfied with their body image, showed disordered eating behavior. Only significant association was found between consumption of chocolates and their satisfaction level of own body image. Our qualitative data showed that participants were not much concerned with their ‘Body image’ and ‘body weight’, but they did fantasize about the body structure of their idols (be them the actors, athletes or social leaders) and wanted to be like them. It can be safely assumed that the adolescent boys have dissatisfaction with their body image perhaps in their subconscious mind. Media would play a significant role in building up their body image and consequently their eating behavior.
Abstract: Researches suggest that people’s perception about menopause largely depends on the inhe... more Abstract: Researches suggest that people’s perception about menopause largely depends on the inherent sociocultural context. In some of the developed countries of the west, menopause is viewed pessimistically. So, the understanding of this reproductive phase as a health risk and the approach to medicalise it are more pronounced in these countries. Some studies show that presently, to certain extent, people from developing countries are espousing menopause in a similar way like the west. The present study aims to understand the knowledge, attitude and perception of urban middle class women of West Ben-gal (India) toward menopause. The data have been collected on post menopausal women from their lived experience. The result shows that women of this study group are not much concerned with menopause and menopausal problems and do not perceive this reproductive episode of their life as health risk. It seems that the sociocultural perspective of the Bengali middle class epitomize menopaus...
It has been observed that menstrual characteristics are generally influenced by lifestyle, socio-... more It has been observed that menstrual characteristics are generally influenced by lifestyle, socio-cultural and biological factors. The present study examines: (a) variation in menstrual characteristics between rural and urban adolescents; and (b) whether these characteristics can be predicted from various socio-economic variables related to place of residence. The sample of the present study constituted 715 adolescent girls from rural (325) and urban (390) areas of West Bengal, a State of India. These girls belong to a Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group. Data on socio-economic variables and menstrual characteristics were collected using pretested questionnaires. Rural and urban adolescents differed significantly (p < or = 0.05) with respect to age at menarche, skipped and irregular cycles, premenstrual syndrome, duration of menstrual discharge, mean number of days of peak discharge and problems related to menstrual discharge. Place of residence was found to be a significant predictor of age at menarche (beta = 0.27, p < 0.01). Significant association was observed between some of the socio-economic variables and various menstrual characteristics among the study participants. Menstrual characteristics differ significantly between rural and urban adolescents. Moreover, various socio-economic variables pertaining to place of residence significantly affect the menstrual characteristics among adolescents.
This paper presents a global review of research done on adolescent eating behaviours and food cho... more This paper presents a global review of research done on adolescent eating behaviours and food choices and the probable factors underlying it. Worldwide adolescent girls tend to develop moderate to high level of disordered eating behaviour as a result of their excessive concern with body weight or obsession with thinness. The objective of the review is to understand the concerns over body weight and the current eating patterns of adolescent girls in the developed and developing countries.
Squatter dwellers are found in almost all the Third World countries. Poor living condition is the... more Squatter dwellers are found in almost all the Third World countries. Poor living condition is the characteristic feature of all the squatter settlements. Again, poor living condition is also associated with the health condition of the squatter dwellers. In the present study, an attempt has been made to compare and contrast the living condition of two social groups (Hindu and Muslim) inhabiting a squatter settlement in Calcutta, India. The results show that the overall living condition of the Muslim is worse than the Hindu. The morbidity pattern is also worse in the Muslim than in the Hindu.
Menopause is a universal phenomenon, which not only marks the end of reproductive life of a woman... more Menopause is a universal phenomenon, which not only marks the end of reproductive life of a woman, but also introduces her to a new phase of life. Studies across the world show that besides hormonal changes, there are a number of other biological, demographic and socioeconomic factors which affect the menopausal life of a woman. The present study attempts to find out (1) the predictor variables of menopausal age and some menopausal symptoms and (2) the perception and attitudes of urban women towards menopause. Data lzave been collected from 175 postmenopausal women belonging to Bengali speaking Hindu ethnic group. A pre-tested questionnaire has been used to collect quantitative data on the socioeconomic and demographic aspects, reproductive histon; and menopausal symptoms of the participants. Some case studies have also been made to understand the attitude and perception of these urban women towards menopause. Results suggest that age at menopause, attainment of menopause at an earl...
Menstrual cycle is an endocrine function of the ovary, controlled by the hypothalamus-pituitary-g... more Menstrual cycle is an endocrine function of the ovary, controlled by the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. Variation in menstrual characters across different ages, socioeconomic status, place of residence, ethnic groups and so on suggests that the function of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis is influenced by some internal and external factors. The objectives of the present study are to understand the variation in menstrual characters with respect to differential marital status of women and as well as to find out whether marital status can be a significant predictor of any menstrual character. Data have been collected on a total number of 200 participants (unmarried 100 and married 100) with the help of a well-tested questionnaire/schedule. Unmarried participants who are aged between 18 and 21 years and their closest blood related married kin members who are in the age group 25-35 years, have given birth to at least one child, presently not lactating or family way and are not u...
The present study investigates: (i) differences in menstrual characteristics of athlete and non-a... more The present study investigates: (i) differences in menstrual characteristics of athlete and non-athlete adolescents; (ii) relationship between menstrual characteristics, anthropometric variables, athletic status and socioeconomic status. The present study was conducted among 159 unmarried adolescents (80 non-athletes and 79 athletes) of age 15 to 19 years. The study participants belong to Bengali speaking Hindu ethnic group of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal State of India. Data were collected on socio-demographic and menstrual characteristics using pre-tested questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were taken following standard methods. Descriptive statistics were used to understand the differences in menstrual characteristics between athletes and non-athletes, stepwise linear regression analyses were carried out to predict age at menarche, menstrual cycle length and duration of menstrual discharge using socio-demographic and anthropometric variables as well as athleti...
Food insecurity and poor nutrition remain a problem in many developing countries, including India... more Food insecurity and poor nutrition remain a problem in many developing countries, including India. Studies show that half of the malnourished children of the world are from Indian subcontinent. A number of socioeconomic factors may affect the prevalence of undernutrition. The present investigation was undertaken to estimate the level of undernutrition among children aged 5-10 years and to find out its association with family income and parental education. This cross-sectional study was undertaken on a group of school children studying in seven primary schools of Birati and Nimta, of the district of North-24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. A total number of 302 children (boys = 145; girls = 157), aged 5-10 year were studied. Anthropometric measurements were taken on the children using standard instruments and protocols. Socioeconomic information was collected from the household of children using standard questionnaire. The overall rates of stunting, underweight and wasting among the st...
Human population inhabits almost all the parts of the world. Take for example the Arctic dwellers... more Human population inhabits almost all the parts of the world. Take for example the Arctic dwellers like, Eskimos. These people are the original inhabitants of the arctic regions. They have developed certain common adaptive features for their survival in that environment. But, let us think of an individual or a group of individuals who have migrated to the Arctic region from the tropical or temperate region, what may happen to them? Since these tropical people do not have the adaptive features like the Arctic dwellers, can they survive? The answer is yes. This demonstrates the plasticity of human phenotypes in their capacity to adjust to a wide range of environmental stress.
The Oriental Anthropologist: A Bi-annual International Journal of the Science of Man
The main objective of the paper has been to explore the association of media exposure with percep... more The main objective of the paper has been to explore the association of media exposure with perception of body image and eating behavior among a group of adolescent boys. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 102 adolescent boys belonging to the Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group, who were between the ages of 14 and 19 years, living in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, body image perception and attitude, media exposure and eating behavior were collected using standard pre-tested questionnaires. It was observed that around half of the participants expressed dissatisfaction with a desire to have a healthy body shape. Although participants, who generally spent more than one hour a day on watching television or browsing internet or reading magazine articles, were more dissatisfied with their body image than the others; yet no significant association was found between any of the media and satisfaction level of their body image. Results further revealed that majority of the participants have normal eating behavior and only 10% of the participants, who were dissatisfied with their body image, showed disordered eating behavior. Only significant association was found between consumption of chocolates and their satisfaction level of own body image. Our qualitative data showed that participants were not much concerned with their ‘Body image’ and ‘body weight’, but they did fantasize about the body structure of their idols (be them the actors, athletes or social leaders) and wanted to be like them. It can be safely assumed that the adolescent boys have dissatisfaction with their body image perhaps in their subconscious mind. Media would play a significant role in building up their body image and consequently their eating behavior.
Uploads
Papers by Subha Ray