title: A qualitative analysis of black and white British women's attitudes to weight and weight control.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rates of obesity among black African and black Caribbean women in the UK are consistently higher than among white women. Cultural, attitudinal and behavioural differences may contribute to ethnic variation in weight, and the present study aimed to explore attitudes towards weight and weight control among black and white British women using a qualitative approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ethnically homogeneous focus groups were carried out with 25 white women [mean (SD) body mass index (BMI, kg m(-2)) = 26 (7.2) kg m(-2) ] and 24 black women [mean (SD) BMI = 29 (6.6) kg m(-2) ]. Women were recruited from London boroughs (Lambeth, Southwark and Croydon) and Guildford, Surrey, and focus groups were conducted in London. Focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and were analysed using thematic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants had fairly good knowledge of the causes, consequences and treatment of being overweight. However, black women primarily emphasised the health consequences of being overweight, whereas white women were more likely to focus on the perceived social and emotional consequences. White women associated being overweight with negative character traits, whereas black women had a broadly positive attitude towards larger body sizes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Black women were as well-informed about the causes and health risks of obesity as white women in this sample of mainly educated, working women, although they were more accepting of larger body sizes and experienced less social pressure to be slim.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Public Health, University College, London, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shoneye
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steptoe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wardle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology*; D001823:Body Composition; D001828:Body Image; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*