Predictors of body image dissatisfaction and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors in African American and Hispanic girls.
Disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors are widespread among girls in the United States. Because obesity is one of the leading risk factors for eating disorder development, African American and Hispanic girls may be at heightened risk due to their greater prevalence and degree of overweight. The present study examined the associations among disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors, body image dissatisfaction, weight classification, fears of negative evaluation, and coping skills among 139 African American and Hispanic girls in Grades 4 and 5 from a low-income urban area. African American girls had significantly lower body image dissatisfaction than Hispanic girls. Significant predictors of body image dissatisfaction included fear of negative evaluation and weight classification. Fear of negative evaluation was also a significant predictor of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors. Overall, 10.1% of the African American girls and 12.7% of the Hispanic girls qualified for a diagnosis of a probable eating disorder. Girls with eating disorders had greater fears of negative evaluation and engaged in more cognitive avoidance. Both groups are at risk of eating disorder development.
Center for Health Research, Wayne State University, 5557 Cass Avenue, Detroit, MI, USA. jillonv@yahoo.com
Jillon S
JS
Vander Wal
Nancy
N
Thomas
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001741:Black or African American; D001290:Attitude / Q000208:ethnology*; D001828:Body Image; D002648:Child; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires