Body Image and Body Satisfaction Differ by Race in Overweight Postpartum Mothers

Carter-Edwards, Lori; Bastian, Lori A.; Revels, Jessica; Durham, Holiday; Lokhnygina, Yuliya; Amamoo, M. Ahinee; Østbye, Truls

doi:10.1089/jwh.2008.1238

Cited by 22 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…African American women also tend to underestimate their body size 11,12 and to perceive their body size as being comparable to that of White women with lower BMIs 11 or smaller than that of White women with equivalent BMIs.…”

Section: Body Size Perceptions Among African Americans -Baruth Et Almentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The differences in the size or weight at which body dissatisfaction begins (ie, African American women do not become dissatisfied until they are nearly obese) may be associated with the varying levels of obesity across racial/ethnic groups. 8 Acceptance and approval of larger body sizes may reduce motivation to make lifestyle changes for weight loss, 11 while at the same time result in less psychological distress than overweight and obese White women experience.…”

Section: 3mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…14 Although having greater body satisfaction may be protective against engaging in unhealthy or inappropriate weight control behaviors, 15 studies have suggested that African Americans with greater body size satisfaction may be less motivated to lose weight. 8,9,11,16 Notably, African American women recount feelings of ambivalence because of the cultural pressures related to self-acceptance, thus creating additional barriers to behavior change. Therefore, a weightdriven or appearance-driven approach may not be an effective means for promoting behavior change and weight loss among women who are comfortable with their size or among those for whom there is a disconnect between weight and health.…”

Section: Body Size Perceptions Among African Americans -Baruth Et Almentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, a weightdriven or appearance-driven approach may not be an effective means for promoting behavior change and weight loss among women who are comfortable with their size or among those for whom there is a disconnect between weight and health. 11 Understanding body size perceptions and discrepancies among economically disadvantaged African American women may have important implications for better understanding the disparities in obesity prevalence and for developing effective weight loss interventions that resonate with the population. The purpose of this study was to examine body size perceptions and discrepancies in a sample of overweight and obese African American women recruited from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in a southeastern US urban setting.…”

Section: Body Size Perceptions Among African Americans -Baruth Et Almentioning

confidence: 99%

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Body Size Perceptions among Overweight and Obese African American Women

et al. 2015

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Objectives: Understanding body size perceptions and discrepancies among African American women may have implications for effective weight-loss interventions. The purpose of this study is to examine body size perceptions of economically disadvantaged, overweight and obese African American women.Design: Cross-sectional using baseline data from a randomized controlled trial.Setting: 18 census tracts in a central South Carolina city where ≥25% of residents were below poverty income.Participants: 147 economically disadvantaged, overweight and obese African American women.Main Outcome Measures: Using Pulvers’ figure rating scale, participants chose the figure: 1) closest to their current figure; 2) they would be satisfied with; and 3) with a body weight that would be a health problem for the average person. Mean body mass indices corresponding to each figure were compared with those in a large sample of White women.Results: Most participants wanted to be smaller (mean=2.6 figures smaller) than their current size. A majority (67%) chose the largest figure as representing a body size that could lead to a health problem, and most (60%) chose a current figure smaller than the figure they believed would be associated with health problems. The mean body mass index for women selecting any given figure as their current size was significantly larger (5.2-10.8 kg/m2 larger, P<.0001) than those established in the sample of White women.Conclusions: Although women desired a smaller body size, there nonetheless were misperceptions of body size and the associated health consequences. Body size misperceptions and/or satisfaction may pose barriers for effective weight-loss. Ethn Dis. 2015;25(4):391-398; doi:10.18865/ ed.25.4.391

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Section: Body Size Perceptions Among African Americans -Baruth Et Almentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: 3mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Body Size Perceptions Among African Americans -Baruth Et Almentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Body Size Perceptions Among African Americans -Baruth Et Almentioning

confidence: 99%

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Body Size Perceptions among Overweight and Obese African American Women

et al. 2015

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“…Although body concerns are prevalent in groups from a diverse range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, research indicates that body satisfaction varies across different ethnic-racial groups, with one study demonstrating that African American women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds have higher body satisfaction than Caucasian women in the post-partum period (Carter-Edwards et al, 2010). Therefore, it may be beneficial for future research to examine how body satisfaction changes over time in diverse groups of pregnant women.…”

Section: Strengths Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body Satisfaction During Pregnancy: The Role of Health-Related Habit Strength

Pullmer

Zaitsoff

Cobb

2017

Matern Child Health J

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Body satisfaction during pregnancy is an important determinant of maternal and fetal health outcomes. It is therefore critical to investigate factors related to changes in body satisfaction and to elucidate how body satisfaction changes over time in pregnant women.I examined the relation between two novel factors (i.e., healthy eating and physical activity habit strength) and body satisfaction in 67 pregnant North American women from the beginning of their second trimester (T1) until the end of pregnancy. Strength of healthy eating and physical activity habits remained stable over time, body satisfaction decreased over time, and healthy eating habit strength at T1 predicted increases in body satisfaction from the second trimester to the end of pregnancy, even when controlling for gestational weight gain. Results highlight how increasing health-related habit strength in women of reproductive age may offer protection against low levels of body satisfaction during pregnancy.

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