Ethnicity, body image perception and weight-related behaviour among adolescent Females attending secondary school in Trinidad.
OBJECTIVE
The correlates of body image perception among an ethnically diverse group of adolescent females attending secondary school in Trinidad were investigated.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was carried out among adolescent females from selected secondary schools in Trinidad. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic items and standardized psychometric instruments.


RESULTS
Two hundred and fifty-one students participated in the survey with an ethnic composition as follows: Indo-Trinidadian (35.9%), Afro-Trinidadian (28.7%), Indo-Afro mixed Trinidadian (21.9%) and other (13.5%). The results suggest that 2.4% of the participants reported having a medical diagnosis for an eating disorder Indo-Trinidadians had significantly greater body dissatisfaction than Indo-Afro-mixed Trinidadians but not more than Afro-Trinidadians (p = 0.04). Also, a significantly higher proportion of Indo-Trinidadians engaged in binge eating behaviour compared to the other ethnic groups (p < 0.001). Afro-Trinidadians were more likely to use vomiting as a mean of weight control compared to Indo- and Indo-Afro-mixed Trinidadian (p < 0. 05). Fifty-one per cent of participants had a negative body image perception. Altered body image perception was associated with a significant higher mean Body Shape Questionnaire BSQ 16 score (p < 0.001) and increased likelihood of reporting being diagnosed with an eating disorder (OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.78, 2.31; p = 0.01) compared to non-altered body image state. Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) score was positively correlated with Drive-for-Thinness (p < 0.001) and BSQ16 (p < 0.001) scores and inversely correlated with the Rosenberg self-esteem score (p = 0.012).


CONCLUSIONS
In this group of adolescents, there are ethnic differences in the level of concern over body image and associated eating, and weight-related behaviour.
Ramberan
K
K
Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
Austin
M
M
Nichols
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005006:Ethnicity; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011594:Psychometrics; D012574:Schools; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago