Ethnic differences in BMI, weight concerns, and eating behaviors: Comparison of Native American, White, and Hispanic adolescents

Abstract

Evidence suggests that substantial proportions of adolescents, regardless of ethnicity or gender, are engaged in excessive weight control behaviors. Crago and Shisslak (2003), however, have noted that small samples and poorly validated instruments have limited the value of previous ethnic difference studies. Using the McKnight Risk Factor Survey, we compared Native American, White, and Hispanic adolescents. Native students were divided into groups with one (NA-mixed) or two (NA) Native American biological parents. Surveys were completed by 5 th through 10 th grade students. BMI z-scores were significantly higher for boys and girls in the NA group, and boys in this group were significantly more engaged in weight control behaviors, including purging. A higher percentage of Native and Hispanic girls preferred a larger body size. BMI was positively correlated with weight and shape concerns and with weight control behaviors, regardless of ethnicity or gender. Overweight among Native adolescents may put them at greater risk for eating problems than their White peers. KeywordsBMI; body image; weight concern; eating disorders; risk factors; weight control behaviors; size preference; McKnight Risk Factor Survey Ethnic Differences in BMI, Weight Concerns, and Eating Behaviors: Comparison of Native American, White, and Hispanic AdolescentsBody dissatisfaction, fear of weight gain, appearance concerns, weight and shape concerns, and higher BMIs among adolescents are associated with increased risk for eating disorders (Killen et al., 1994; Shisslak et al., Stice, 1998;1998;Story et al., 1991;Striegel-Moore, Silberstein, & Rodin, 1986). In addition, recent studies suggest that substantial proportions of most ethnic groups and both genders are engaged in sometimes-excessive weight control behaviors (e.g., Croll, Neumark-Sztainer, Story, & Ireland, 2002;Taylor et al., 2003). In a recent review, however, Crago et al. (2003) noted that small sample sizes and poorly validated Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript assessment instruments have limited the usefulness of many studies of ethnic differences. In one of the few studies of Native American eating problems using validated behavioral measures, Smith and Krejci (1991) studied Native adolescents (~15 years old) from Pueblos in Southwestern USA and found that, compared to their Caucasian peers, a greater percentage of Native participants reported binge eating, vomiting and fear of gaining weight. In a recent large-scale survey of ...

The relationship between eating behaviours, body image and BMI status among adolescence age 13 to 17 years in Meru, Klang, Malaysia

“…Goldschmidt et al, (2011) stated that shape and weight were the two main aspects of one's scheme for self-evaluation. Lynch et al, (2007) found that regardless of ethnicity or gender, BMI was positively correlated with body concerns and weight control behaviors. Lynch et al, (2008) found that body dissatisfaction was a highly significant mediator of the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and eating disorder risk although, body dissatisfaction did not mediate the association between BMI and binge eating but it is apparently an important mediator of the association between body size and some risky weight control behaviors.…”

The Association Between Body Dissatisfaction and Nutritional Status in Adolescents

“…The measure used to assess body image provides very limited information and may not adequately assess boy´s body image given their concerns with muscles and an athletic body. Although the nine-silhouette scale was initially proposed for adults, it has been widely applied to adolescents [21,28,29]. One of the advantages of this study is the representative number of adolescents of both gender enrolled in secondary education in Florianópolis.…”

Comparison of Eating Attitudes between Adolescent Girls with and without Asperger Syndrome: Daughters’ and Mothers’ Reports

“…The girls whose age and BMI approximated more those of the target girls with AS were selected to participate in the study. So, the two groups were matched on chronological age and also on BMI (underweight, healthy, overweight), since the researcher wanted to ensure that any differences in their eating attitudes would not be influenced by their BMI as is documented in several studies (Lynch et al 2004;Mitchell et al 2005;Sancho et al 2007). The statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups either on age (t (110) = 1.91, p [ .05) or on BMI (t (110) = .11, p [ .05).…”