Facets of acculturation and their diverse relations to body shape concern in Fiji.
OBJECTIVE
The present study examines the relation between acculturation and body shape concern in Fiji--a society undergoing rapid social change.


METHODS
Data were from two cohorts of ethnic Fijian girls and women collected in 1998 (n = 115). A factor analysis was performed to identify dimensions of acculturation. The association of these with body shape concern was examined with linear regression.


RESULTS
Three dimensions of acculturation were identified. Multiple linear regression models demonstrated that each of these dimensions of acculturation had a unique relation to body shape concern. The adjusted R(2) for the fully adjusted model relating acculturation to body concern was 0.63, indicating a substantial degree of shared variation between measures of body shape concern and measures of acculturation.


CONCLUSIONS
Acculturation may have a strong impact on body shape concern in Fiji. However, acculturation is a multidimensional construct and does not likely have a monolithic relation to body shape concern.
Becker
Anne E
AE
Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. abecker@partners.org
Fay
Kristen
K
Gilman
Stephen E
SE
Striegel-Moore
Ruth
R
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005367:Fiji; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D012922:Social Change; D013008:Somatotypes / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires