Body Size and Body Shape: Perceptions of Black Women With Diabetes

Abstract

PURPOSE

this qualitative study was conducted to explore perceptions of body size and shape in a group of black women with Type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Thirty-three black women with Type 2 diabetes participated in one of three focus groups to discuss perceptions about body size and body shape. Transcriptions of the discussion were analyzed for themes of participants' perceptions about their bodies, their ideas about body size and body shape, and personal and environmental influences on their preferences about size and shape.

RESULTS

Participants preferred a middle-to-small body size but indicated that a middle-to-large body size was healthier. They also said that a large body size did result in some untoward social consequences. Participants preferred a pear-shaped body (a figure without abdominal adiposity). The three major influences on body image perceptions were children, parents, and the media.

CONCLUSIONS

With these findings in mind, diabetes education programs that are geared for black women may benefit from the inclusion of key family members. Additionally, the importance of body image perceptions should be recognized in the design and implementation of weight-related diabetes education programs.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Hartz AJ , Rupley DC , Kalkhoff RD , Rimm AA . Relationship of obesity to diabetes: influence of obesity level and body fat distribution. Prev Med. 1983;12:351-357.

2. Cassano PA , Rosner B , Vokonas PS , Weiss ST . Obesity and body fat distribution in relation to the incidence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Am J Epidemiol. 1992;136:1474-1486.

3. Kissebah AH , Peiris AN . Biology of regional body fat distribution: relationship to non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Metab Rev. 1989;5:83-109.

4. Kumanyika S . Obesity in black women. Epidemiol Rev. 1987;9:31-50.

5. Brown PJ . Cultural perspectives on the etiology and treatment of obesity. In: Stunkard AJ , Wadden TA , eds. Obesity: Theory and Therapy. 2nd ed. New York: Raven Press; 1993:179-193.

6. Kumanyika S . Cultural factors in desirable body shapes and their impact on weight loss and maintenance. In: Allison DB , Pi-Sunyer FX , eds. Obesity Treatment. New York: Plenum Press; 1995:79-83.

7. Gamer DM . The 1997 body image survey results. Psychol Today. 1997;Feb:30-80.

8. Flynn KJ , Fitzgibbon M . Body images and obesity risk among black females: a review of the literature. Ann Behav Med. In press. 1999.

9. Flegal KM , Carroll MD , Kuczmarski RI , Johnson CL . Overweight and obesity in the United States: prevalence and trends, 1960-1994. Int J Obes. 1998;22:39-47.

10.

10. Tull ES , Roseman JM . Diabetes in African Americans. In: Harris M , ed. Diabetes in America. 2nd ed. Bethesda, Md: US Dept of Health and Human Services; 1995:613-630. Publication 95-1468.

11.

11. Anderson LA , Janes GR , Ziemer DC , Phillips LS . Diabetes in urban African Americans: body image, satisfaction with size, and weight change attempts. Diabetes Educ. 1997;23:301-308.

12.

12. Knodel J . Design and analysis of focus group studies. In: Morgan DL , ed. Successful Focus Groups: Advancing the State of the Art. Newbury Park, Calif: Sage Publications; 1993:35-50.

13.

13. Ethnograph 4.0 [computer software]. Desert Springs, Calif: Qualitative Research Management; 1995.

14.

14. Hinckley JJ , Craig HK , Anderson LA . Communication characteristics of provider-patient information exchanges. In: Giles H , Robinson WP , eds. Handbook of Language and Social Psychology. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1989: 519-536.

15.

15. Krueger RA . Analyzing and Reporting Focus Group Results. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications; 1998.

16.

16. Morgan DL . Designing focus group research. In: Stewart M , Tudiver F , Bass MJ , eds. Primary Care Research: Tools for Primary Care Research. Newbury Park, Calif: Sage Publications; 1992:177-193.

17.

17. Allan JD , Mayo K , Michel Y . Body size values of white and black women. Res Nurs Health. 1993;16:323-333.

18.

18. Akan GE , Grilo CM . Sociocultural influences on eating attitudes and behaviors, body image, and psychological functioning: a comparison of African American, Asian American, and Caucasian college women. Int J Eating Disord. 1995;18(2):181-187.

19.

19. Lehmann R , Vokac A , Niedermann K , Agosti K , Spinas GA . Loss of abdominal fat and improvement of the cardiovascular risk profile by regular moderate exercise training in patients with NIDDM. Diabetologia. 1995;38:1313-1319.

20.

20. Singh RB , Rastogi V , Rastogi SS , Niaz MA , Beegom R . Effect of diet and moderate exercise on central obesity and associated disturbances, myocardial infarction and mortality in patients with and without coronary artery disease. J Am College Nutr. 1996;15:592-601.

21.

21. Harris MB , Walters LC , Waschull S . Gender and ethnic differences in obesity-related behaviors and attitudes in a college sample. J Applied Soc Psychol. 1991;21:1545-1565.

22.

22. Rosen EF , Brown A , Braden J . African American males prefer a larger female body silhouette than do whites. Bull Psychonomic Soc. 1993;31:599-601.