Body dissatisfaction, ethnic identity, and disordered eating among African American women.

TLDR

Early research claimed only European American women developed eating disorders, but recent studies confirm African American women also experience them and are influenced by similar sociocultural pressures. The study examined a sociocultural model of eating disorders for African American women, incorporating ethnic identity. Participants (N = 322) from five universities completed measures of ethnic identity, societal pressures regarding thinness, internalization of beauty ideals, body image concerns, and disordered eating. Structural equation modeling showed that higher ethnic identity was linked to lower internalization of beauty ideals, while societal pressures increased internalization and body image concerns, and both internalization and body image concerns predicted disordered eating (R² = .79), with the final model fitting well and underscoring ethnic identity’s role in risk.

Abstract

Initial research suggested that only European American women developed eating disorders (Garner, 1993), yet recent studies have shown that African American women do experience them (e.g., Lester & Petrie, 1998b; Mulholland & Mintz, 2001) and also may be negatively affected by similar sociocultural variables. In this study, we examined a sociocultural model of eating disorders for African American women but included the influences of ethnic identity (e.g., Hall, 1995; Helms, 1990). Participants (N = 322) were drawn from 5 different universities. They completed measures representing ethnic identity, societal pressures regarding thinness, internalization of societal beauty ideals, body image concerns, and disordered eating. Structural equation modeling revealed that ethnic identity was inversely, and societal pressures regarding thinness directly, related to internalization of societal beauty ideals. Societal pressures regarding thinness was also related to greater body image concerns. Both internalization of societal beauty ideals and body image concerns were positively associated with disordered eating (R² = .79). Overall, the final model fit the data well, supporting its generalizability and the importance of ethnic identity in determining risk.