Journal article
Bridging gaps by including culture: Development and empirical test of the culturally informed theory for disordered eating among Black women
Eating behaviors : an international journal, Vol.44, pp.101600-101600
01/2022
DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101600
PMID: 35152181
Abstract
Leading eating disorder (ED) theories were informed primarily by samples of White females. Therefore, ED theories lack consideration of sociocultural factors that may impact ED symptom development among Black women. The current study proposed the first culturally informed theory for disordered eating among Black women, positing that ethnic discrimination, strong black woman (SBW) ideology (cultural and societal expectations of strength), and culturally informed appearance satisfaction may significantly impact stress. Stress may be associated with coping-motivated eating behaviors, which may lead to maladaptive weight control behaviors.
Black women (N = 208) completed surveys assessing socio-cultural factors, stress, commensal and binge eating, and maladaptive weight control behaviors. Path analysis was used to test the proposed theory.
The final model had a good fit for the data. Findings overall supported the hypothesized model. Specifically, higher ethnic discrimination (β = 0.044, p = .003), greater endorsement of SBW ideology (β = 0.074, p =< .001), and lower culturally informed appearance satisfaction (β = −0.032, p = .025) were associated with greater stress. Stress was positively associated with binge eating (β = 0.457, p = .046), and binge eating was significantly associated with excessive exercise (=0.152, p = .008) and purging (β = 0.273, p = <.001). In contrast, commensal eating was not associated with stress or weight control behaviors (p values = .697 to .749).
The current study found that stress, as influenced by sociocultural factors, may play a role in binge eating, and subsequently, weight control behaviors among Black women. This theory is a starting point for future research on the specialized conceptualization of eating and maladaptive weight control behaviors among Black women.
•New culturally informed theory for disordered eating among Black women was proposed.•Findings overall supported the theory.•Sociocultural factors relevant to Black women were positively associated with stress.•Stress was strongly associated with binge eating among Black women.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Bridging gaps by including culture: Development and empirical test of the culturally informed theory for disordered eating among Black women
- Creators
- Alexis C. Exum - University of KansasJonathan Templin - University of IowaTera L. Fazzino - University of Kansas
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Eating behaviors : an international journal, Vol.44, pp.101600-101600
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101600
- PMID
- 35152181
- ISSN
- 1471-0153
- eISSN
- 1873-7358
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100007859, name: The University of Kansas
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/2022
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
- Record Identifier
- 9984371261502771
Metrics
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