Weight Perceptions and Weight Control Practices in American Indian and Alaska Native Adolescents

Body-Related Emotional Experiences of Young Aboriginal Women

“…However, the in-depth nature of this study showed that the young women in our research appear to have a general level of satisfaction with their bodies. This finding is inconsistent with most of the previous research on young Aboriginal women's body-related emotional experiences (e.g., Gittelsohn et al, 1996;Story, Hauck, et al, 1994).…”

“…Another participant provided an example that demonstrated how body-related emotions could directly affect mental health, explaining how young women often compare their body with those of their peers, which can cause negative emotions such as jealousy. The notion that the body affects everything is consistent with findings that describe how concerns surrounding the body could be damaging to an individual's physical and mental health (Story, Hauck, et al, 1994).…”

Weight Loss Attempts and Attitudes toward Body Size, Eating, and Physical Activity in American Indian Children: Relationship to Weight Status and Gender

“…In the present study approximately one‐half of the girls reported dieting, which suggests that rates of dieting are comparable to those reported by older girls. In contrast, boys in our study reported higher dieting rates than did adolescent boys in the 1988 American Indian Adolescent Survey (11). This may be due to increases in the prevalence of obesity in children during the past decade.…”

Weight and BMI over 6 years in Korean Children: Relationships to Body Image and Weight Loss Efforts

“…The second finding supports the results of previous studies (10, 11, 14, 23, 24, 25, 29). Even among stable non‐overweight girls, 66% favored a slender body shape, and 52% usually desired weight loss.…”

“…This means that between the ages of 7-8 and 13-14 years old, stable non-overweight children experiencing rapid increases in BMI are more likely to want to be slender and to try to lose weight than are stable nonoverweight children with slow increases in BMI. The second finding supports the results of previous studies (10,11,14,(23)(24)(25)29). Even among stable non-overweight girls, 66% favored a slender body shape, and 52% usually desired weight loss.…”