Effect of western culture on women's attitudes to eating and perceptions of body shape

TLDR

The study examined how culture influences negative attitudes toward eating and body shape dissatisfaction. Researchers surveyed Hong Kong‑born and Australian‑born university women with the EAT and FRS, then divided Hong Kong participants by Chinese identity (Western‑acculturized vs. traditional). Australian‑born women reported greater body shape dissatisfaction, while Western‑acculturized Hong Kong participants had lower eating‑attitude and body‑image scores than Australian peers, indicating cultural and ethnic identity effects and underscoring the need for culturally sensitive eating‑disorder definitions.

Abstract

Objective The current study investigated the effect of culture on two factors implicated in the development of eating disorders, negative attitudes toward eating and dissatisfaction with body shape. Method Hong Kong-born and Australian-born women from two Australian universities were surveyed using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) and the Figure Rating Scale (FRS). Results Results showed no difference between the groups in eating attitudes, but significant differences in body shape perceptions, with the Australian-born reporting greater dissatisfaction. Hong Kong-born subjects were separated into two groups based on their level of Chinese identity (Western acculturized and traditional). Their EAT and FRS scores were compared to the Australian-born, with Western acculturized Hong Kong-born subjects reporting significantly lower EAT and FRS scores than the Australian-born, whereas the more traditional Hong Kong-born subjects reported equivalent scores. Discussion Main implications center around the need for a cross-culturally sensitive definition of eating disorders, the effect of level of ethnic identity on eating attitudes and body image, and the importance of developing culturally appropriate measures. © 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 27: 83–89, 2000.