 |
|
Weight Perceptions and Weight Control Practices in American Indian and Alaska Native AdolescentsA National Survey
Mary Story, PhD, RD;
Fern R. Hauck, MD, MS;
Brenda A. Broussard, MPH, MBA, RD;
Linda L. White, RD;
Michael D. Resnick, PhD;
Robert W. Blum, MD, PhD
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1994;148(6):567-571.
Abstract
Objective
To assess weight perceptions and weight control practices among American Indian–Alaska Native adolescents.
Design
Survey.
Setting
Nonurban schools from eight Indian Health Service areas.
Participants
A total of 13 454 seventh- through 12th-grade American Indian–Alaska Native youths.
Main Outcome Measures
A revised version of the Adolescent Health Survey, a comprehensive, anonymous self-report questionnaire with eating- and body image–related questions.
Results
Forty-one percent of the adolescent girls reported feeling overweight, 50% were dissatisfied with their weight, and 44% worried about being overweight. Almost half (48%) had been on a weight-loss diet in the past year, with 27% reporting that they had self-induced vomiting at some time to try to lose weight. Eleven percent reported using diet pills. Girls who reported feeling overweight were more likely to engage in unhealthy weight control practices than were those who felt they were of normal weight or underweight. A larger proportion of boys were satisfied with their weight (68%), with 22% worrying about being overweight. However, compared with rural Minnesota youth, both American Indian girls and boys had greater dissatisfaction with body weight.
Conclusions
Our study shows that American Indian youth, particularly girls, are dissatisfied with their weight and are worried about being overweight, and that unhealthy weight control practices are common. More attention needs to be placed on developing culturally appropriate weight management programs for Indian youths.
(Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1994;148:567-571)
Author Affiliations
From the Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Dr Story), Adolescent Health Program, Department of Pediatrics (Drs Resnick and Blum), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Loyola University, Chicago, Ill (Dr Hauch); Diabetes Program, Indian Health Service, Albuquerque, NM (Ms Broussard); and Navajo Area, Indian Health Service, Window Rock, Ariz (Ms White).
 CiteULike  Connotea  Delicious  Digg  Facebook  Reddit  Technorati  Twitter
What's this?
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES
|
'A new view of body image': A school-based participatory action research project with young Aboriginal women
McHugh and Kowalski
Action Research 2011;9:220-241.
ABSTRACT
Body-Related Emotional Experiences of Young Aboriginal Women
Fleming et al.
Qual Health Res 2006;16:517-537.
ABSTRACT
Suicide Attempts Among American Indian and Alaska Native Youth: Risk and Protective Factors
Borowsky et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1999;153:573-580.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Development of a questionnaire to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in American Indian children
Stevens et al.
Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:773S-781S.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Use of Ethnographic Methods for Applied Research on Diabetes Among the Ojibway-Cree in Northern Ontario
Gittelsohn et al.
Health Educ Behav 1996;23:365-382.
ABSTRACT
Body Dissatisfaction and Unhealthy Weight-Control Practices Among Adolescents With and Without Chronic Illness: A Population-Based Study
Neumark-Sztainer et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1995;149:1330-1335.
ABSTRACT
|
