Body mass index, disordered eating behavior, and acquisition of health information: examining ethnicity and weight-related issues in a college population.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate ethnic differences related to weight, the authors assessed body mass index, dysfunctional eating, receipt of health information, and perceived obstacles to healthy lifestyles of 210 ethnically diverse college women.


METHODS
The authors used the Eating Attitudes Test to assess dieting, food preoccupation, and bulimic behaviors.


RESULTS
The authors found no ethnic differences in body mass index or disordered eating, but African Americans were more likely than were European Americans and Latina Americans to receive nutrition information from professionals and less likely than European Americans to perceive time as an obstacle. Overall, receipt of health information from a professional was related to fewer disordered eating behaviors; however, the specific eating behavior that was reduced varied by ethnicity.


CONCLUSIONS
Health professionals should reconsider traditional assumptions of disordered eating behavior as a European American problem and consider cultural appropriateness in the development of effective health programs.
Rich
Shannon S
SS
Department of Psychology and Philosophy, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX 76204-5470, USA. SRich@mail.twu.edu
Thomas
Christina R
CR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000379:methods*; D005006:Ethnicity; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities