Perception of others' body size influences weight loss and regain for European American but not African American women.
OBJECTIVE
The authors investigated whether European American (EA) and African American (AA) women took longer to lose weight, and were less likely to maintain weight loss if they perceived others to be overweight.


METHODS
Overweight EA and AA women completed a Figure Rating Scale and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire prior to a weight loss intervention. Body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry prior to and following weight loss.


METHODS
rate of weight loss, % body fat at follow-up.


RESULTS
For EA, but not AA women, perception of others' body size was inversely associated with rate of weight loss and cognitive restraint, and positively associated with body fat gain following intervention. In linear regression modeling, EA, but not AA, women who perceived others as large, subsequently had greater percent body fat 1 year after weight loss than did those who perceived others as lean, independent of age, baseline body fat, and body size deemed "acceptable." Inclusion of cognitive restraint in the model weakened this effect.


CONCLUSIONS
Among EA but not AA women, perception of others' body size influenced weight loss and maintenance. This effect may have been mediated by cognitive restraint.
Chandler-Laney
Paula C
PC
Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294-3361, USA. pchandle@uab.edu
Hunter
Gary R
GR
Ard
Jamy D
JD
Brock
David W
DW
Gower
Barbara A
BA
Roy
Jane L
JL
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001823:Body Composition; D001828:Body Image; D049628:Body Size; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D012933:Social Identification; D012938:Social Perception; D015431:Weight Loss; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*