-Black
women are less likely than White woman to report dieting and
other restrictive eating behavior, although acculturation
increases these behaviors
-Black women are also less likely than White woman to report vomiting,
but just as likely to binge eat (Streigel-Moore et al., 2003)
-One
of the few published studies on Black women and eating disorder
prevalence (Mulholland & Mintz, 2000)
supported a low prevalence of anorexia and bulimia,
and only a slightly prevalence of
other eating disordered behavior (e.g., binge eating)
-Eating
disordered behavior does not seem to be as prevalent among
Black women in sororities as it is
with White women
in sororities – based
on one sample (Mulholland & Mintz, 2000)
-The
prevalence of eating disorders among Black women tends to
increase with assimilation to White culture,
increased education,
perfectionism, and among younger women (Fitzgibbon & Stolley,
2000)
-Acceptance of greater range of body shapes and sizes within African
American culture serves as a protective factor for Black women
-Traditional
West African culture values larger body shapes (particularly
in the hips and breasts)
and
considers “thickness” as
a symbol of beauty (Yates, 2000)
-Black
American women’s self concept
tends to be more broad than body image (e.g.,
hair,
skin color,
cosmetics,
fashion)
-Women of color are overrepresented among cosmetic surgery patients
(Sudarsky-Gleiser, 2004)
