Weight-loss practices, nutrition beliefs, and weight-loss program preferences of urban American Indian women.
OBJECTIVE
To describe health beliefs, weight concern, dieting practices, and weight-loss program preferences of American Indian women residing in an urban setting.


METHODS
Face-to-face interviews using a semistructured questionnaire were conducted and height and weight were measured.


METHODS
Subjects were 203 American Indian adult women in an urban community setting.


METHODS
Frequency distributions and chi 2 analysis were performed using the Statistical Analysis System software.


RESULTS
About two-thirds of the subjects were overweight. Most women were concerned about obesity and reported attempting to manage their weight. Healthful weight-loss practices (e.g., eating more fruits and vegetables, increasing physical activity) were used most frequently. However, unhealthful practices, such as skipping meals/fasting, using laxatives/diuretics, and self-induced vomiting were also mentioned. Regular bingeing was reported by 10% of respondents.


CONCLUSIONS
Weight-management intervention efforts should focus on helping clients modify their diet and physical activity patterns. Low-cost programs offered in convenient locations would attract more participants, as would the provision of child care. Education about the dangers and ineffectiveness of unhealthful weight-loss practices will be necessary, given the high rates of such behaviors in this population.
Sherwood
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NE
Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55454, USA.
Harnack
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L
Story
M
M
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*