Open AccessClinical Implications of Body Image Among Rural African‐American Women
Author(s) -
Baturka Natalie,
Hornsby Paige P.,
Schorling John B.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2000.06479.x
Subject(s) - ambivalence , overweight , medicine , body mass index , thematic analysis , qualitative research , weight loss , gerontology , perception , obesity , social psychology , psychology , social science , pathology , neuroscience , sociology
OBJECTIVE: To increase understanding of body image among rural, African‐American women through open‐ended interviews. DESIGN: Individuals' perceptions of body image were investigated using open‐ended, in‐depth interviews that were tape‐recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to identify common themes and to compare thematic data across three body mass index categories (obese, overweight, and normal). SETTING: University‐affiliated rural community health center. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty‐four African‐American women, aged 21 to 47 years. MAIN RESULTS: Respondents reported the following common themes: dissatisfaction with current weight; fluctuating levels of dissatisfaction (including periods of satisfaction); family and social pressure to be self‐accepting; and social and physical barriers to weight loss. The interviews revealed ambivalence and conflicts with regard to body image and weight. Among these women, there was strong cultural pressure to be self‐accepting of their physical shape, to “be happy with what God gave you,” and to make the most of their appearance. CONCLUSIONS: The pressure to be self‐accepting often conflicted with these obese women's dissatisfaction with their own appearance and weight. Although the respondents believed they could lose weight “if [they] put [their] mind to it,” those women wanting to lose weight found that they lacked the necessary social support and resources to do so. The conflicts stemming from social pressures and their own ambivalence may result in additional barriers to the prevention of obesity, and an understanding of these issues can help health care providers better address the needs of their patients.