Background: Body image perception is being shaped by unrealistic ideals portrayed in the media. Body dissatisfaction is one of the most consistent and robust risk factors for eating disorders, low self-esteem, depression, and obesity. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to ascertain the body image perception, abnormal eating attitudes and the role of media among undergraduate students of a medical college in Delhi, India.Methods: Cross-sectional study on 370 undergraduate medical students of Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India selected using stratified random sampling. India. Students completed a self-administered questionnaire which consist of demographic information, perceived body image, Eating Attitudes test (EAT-26) to assess eating attitudes, Socio Cultural Attitude Towards Appearance Questionnaire 3(SATAQ-3) scale for the role of media on body image perception. Data was analyzed using SPSS v21.Results: A total of 370 students (57.6% males and 42.4% females) aged 17-30 years, mean age of 20.30 years±2.02(SD). Abnormal body image perception was seen in 35.4%, 21.1% had abnormal eating attitude (EAT-26≥20), 36.5%, 40.5% agreed to be influenced by models and athletic figures in media respectively, 42.2% accepted that media was their source of information regarding standards of attractiveness, 27.6% felt pressured to be attractive according to SATAQ-3. Males more than females had disordered eating attitudes and felt media pressure to achieve an ideal body image. Significant association was observed between age and perceived body image (p=0.033), gender and EAT-26 score (p=0.039), EAT 26 and perceived body image (p=0.006), general internalization of media and perceived body image (p=0.003), internalization-general, internalization-athlete, media as source of information and EAT-26 score (<0.001, 0.001, 0.003 respectively).Conclusions: The media should take more responsibility to not represent unrealistic ideals of body image concerning both males and females. Educational and preventive efforts at institutional levels should be made to promote a healthy body image and eating behaviours.

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Introduction Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a major concern to effective control of tuberculosis (TB) in India and the likelihood of drug resistance increases with repeated exposure to anti-TB drugs. India has emerged as one of the leading contributors of DR-TB in the world posing a major threat to TB control. In the current study, we aim to find the burden and factors associated with drug resistance in previously treated pulmonary TB patients. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 230 previously treated pulmonary TB patients registered with Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) centers under Nehru Nagar Chest clinic in Delhi, India. The participants were selected consecutively as they registered with the chest clinic. A predesigned, pretested, semi-structured questionnaire in the Hindi language used to collect socio-demographic data and factors associated with the development of drug resistance. Physical examination of all the participants was done (height, weight, pallor). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors of drug resistance. Results Of 230 previously treated pulmonary TB patients, 80 (34.8% (95% CI:28.7-40.9%)) were drug-resistant. Age (p=0.021), ever consumption of alcohol (p= 0.001), pallor (p=0.06), BMI (p=0.028), fasting blood sugar (p=0.001), treatment failure (p=0.005) and the number of prior courses of anti-tuberculosis treatment (ATT) taken (p=0.004) were significantly associated with drug resistance. On applying binary logistic regression analysis, independently associated factors with drug resistance were ever consumption of alcohol, pallor, high fasting blood sugar level, previous treatment failure patients and the number of prior courses of ATT (p<0.05). Conclusion The findings of this study revealed that patients who had pallor, high fasting blood sugar, treatment failure and who had two or more prior courses of ATT were more likely to have DR-TB. Identifying the risk factors for drug-resistant TB is essential in facilitating the government to draw public health interventions. Further research is warranted to explore the causal associations.

Background: Fruits and vegetables are a rich source of essential micronutrients i.e. vitamins/minerals and dietary fibers required for the normal daily functionality of the body. Young adults such as medical students are a particularly vulnerable population in terms of health issues and adequate diet. Objective of the study was to find the pattern of fruits and vegetables consumption in undergraduate medical students of Delhi.Methods: A cross-sectional study was planned among 300 undergraduate students from medical college in New Delhi. The questionnaire consisted of questions about identification data, pattern of fruit and vegetable consumption. Data was analyzed by SPSS software version 21.0 and for qualitative data analysis chi-square test was used.Results: Mean age of study subjects was 20.82±2.1 years and females (52.7%) were more as compared to (47.3%) males. Out of 300 participants, only one third (33.3%) of study participants consumed more than five servings of fruits and vegetables. More than half of study participants felt that unsafe use of pesticides, difficult to eat five servings in a day, poor handling and poor quality of fruits and vegetables were the most common barriers in consumption of FVs. Age and semester of study participants and education status of mothers were found significant predictors of consumption of recommended number of serving of FVs in day.  Conclusions: This study concludes that only one third of study participants consumed more than five servings of fruits and vegetables which is recommended number of serving in a day. So, there is a need to increase awareness about importance of fruits and vegetables consumption among study population.

Background: Scientific research forms an important foundation for producing doctors with an understanding of evidence-based medicine. Medical education in India over a period has largely remained unchanged with a very low emphasis on research and publication. Objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards scientific research among undergraduate students of a medical college in Delhi, India.Methods: A cross sectional study was planned among 240 undergraduate students from five semesters of medical college in New Delhi. The questionnaire consisted of questions about identification data, knowledge, attitude and practices of scientific research. Data was analyzed by SPSS software version 21.0 and for qualitative data analysis Chi-square test was used.Results: Mean age of study subjects was 20.68±1.87 years and more than half (59.6%) of them were males and (40.4%) were females. Out of 240 participants, only (13.5%) had excellent knowledge about scientific research. Majority (89.6%) of them felt that research work should be a part of the medical curriculum. About one fourth (22.9%) of study participants had done a scientific research. Age of study participants and better knowledge were found significant predictors of conducting research among study participants.Conclusions: This study concludes that only few study participants had excellent knowledge and practice scientific research but majority of them had positive attitude towards research. So, there is a need to increase awareness about scientific research from an early level in the curriculum among study population.