Regine M. Talleyrand, Ph.D. Amanda D. Gordon, M.S. Jewelle V. Daquin, M.Ed. Counseling and Development George Mason University Understanding Eating Attitudes, Behaviors and Body Image in African American Women: A Qualitative Study

History Lack of attention devoted to racially and ethnically diverse groups African American women exhibit high rates of binge eating behaviors African American women in the United States have the highest prevalence of combined overweight and obesity

History Multiple factors can impact why and how African American women struggle with eating behaviors and weight The African American community might have a different standard of beauty than the dominant White American culture Traditional approaches used to assess womens eating disorder symptoms do not necessarily incorporate the unique socialization experiences of African American women

Definition of Terms Obesity: Refers to having a body mass index of 30 or greater and/or weighing more than 20% above the upper limit for height (DSM IV-R, 2000) Body Image: A subjective perception of one's own physical appearance, usually in relation to others or in relation to some ideal (Cash & Brown, 1987)

Definition of Terms Binge Eating: Characterized by recurrent episodes of binge-eating that occur in the absence of regular use of compensatory behaviors (DSM IV-R, 2000) Dietary Restraint: The intentional and sustained restriction of caloric intake for the purposes of weight loss (Herman & Mack, 1975)

Definition of Terms Anorexia Nervosa: Characterized by a persons refusal to maintain her or his body weight through the use of excessive dieting and inaccurate perceptions of her or his body image based on an obsessive fear of becoming fat (DSM IV-R, 2000) Bulimia Nervosa: Characterized by a persons excessive rapid binging followed by purging through use of self-induced vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, restrained eating, or excessive exercise (DSM IV-R, 2000) Binge Eating Disorder: Characterized by recurrent episodes of binge-eating that occur in the absence of regular use of compensatory behaviors (DSM IV-R, 2000)

Aims of Our Research Project To explore the factors that influence body image norms, eating attitudes and behaviors of African American women ages 25 and up who struggle with body and weight concerns To gain an understanding of concerns African American women have with food and/or body image

Research Design: Method Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) (Hill et al., 2005; Hill, Thompson & Williams, 1997) Use of multiple researchers Open-ended questions in data collection process Process of reaching consensus Our Study Team of 3 research members consisting of 2 African American women (one professor, one counselor) and1 White woman (doctoral student) African American female professor who specializes in CQR to audit Research team identified domains and core ideas in order to find similarities and differences across cases

Demographics All participants live in the greater Washington metro area Ages range from 25 years old to 59 years old Height ranges from 52 to 59 Weight ranges from 113 lbs. to 238 lbs. How participants identify: 7 African American females 2 Black females 2 African American/Black females Average BMI: 29.6

Data Analysis 7 Domains: Perceptions of Body Image (Self, Media, Peers, Family, Significant Others, Other) Challenges with Body Image Perceptions of Eating Attitudes and Behaviors (Self, Health Influences, Childhood/Family Influences) Challenges with Eating Attitudes and Behaviors Role of Food Perceptions of Overall Appearance (Self, Family, Significant Others, Media, Other) Perceptions of Overall Well-Being

Data Analysis Examples of Core Ideas Generally not being happy with weight Childhood and family influences (i.e., the celebration of food; the lack of food) Challenges with eating (i.e., finding time to eat the right foods and to exercise, the need for education) African American culture, community, & values Emotional eating Overall appearance: Looking presentable Importance of well-being (Physical health, mental health, spirituality, independence, supportive relationships)

Implications for Practice, Research and Teaching Findings could contribute to the counseling field by providing culturally responsive methods of prevention and treatment This information could assist counselor educators with expanding their curriculum to include issues that affect African American women Assist with the development of new measures to assess eating attitudes and behaviors in all women Need to provide psychoeducation to African American women regarding healthy eating behaviors, attitudes, and body image Beyond assessing issues with weight, counselors may need to assess other culturally relevant issues such as skin color and hair when working with African American women