Body image dissatisfaction in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
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Updated: Apr 18, 2026
Investigating Intestinal Inflammation in DSS-induced Model of IBD
Published on: February 1, 2012
Sumona Saha1, Ying-Qi Zhao, Samir A Shah
1*Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin; †Department of Biostatics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin; ‡Division of Gastroenterology, Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; §Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island; ‖Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, Georgia; ¶Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, New York, New York; and **Dr. Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
Background:
Despite the fact that the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and their treatments may affect physical appearance, the effect of IBD on body image is poorly understood. The aims of this study were to determine whether body image dissatisfaction (BID) changes over time in patients with IBD and to examine the demographic and disease-related variables associated with decreased body image.
Methods:
Adults aged 18 and above in the Ocean State Crohn's and Colitis Area Registry with at least 2 years of follow-up were eligible for this study. All patients were enrolled within 6 months of IBD diagnosis and followed prospectively. BID was assessed using a modified version of the Adapted Satisfaction With Appearance questionnaire. Total Adapted Satisfaction With Appearance scores and 2 subscores were calculated. To assess for changes over time, general linear models for correlated data were used for continuous outcomes, and generalized estimating equations were used for discrete outcomes.
Results:
Two hundred seventy-four patients were studied. BID was found to be stable over time among men and women with IBD despite overall improvements in disease activity. No differences were found in BID according to IBD subtype. Female gender, greater disease activity, higher symptom burden, longer duration of steroid use, dermatologic and musculoskeletal manifestations of IBD, and ileocolonic disease location among patients with Crohn's disease were associated with greater BID. Greater BID was associated with lower health-related quality of life.
Conclusions:
BID remains stable in an incident cohort of IBD despite improved disease activity and is associated with lower health-related quality of life.
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