| Obesity has become a public health crisis, particularly for African American women. Prior research has attributed the problem to a "cultural tolerance" for overweight, less pursuit of exercise and poor nutritional habits, often stemming from cultural norms. This study was based on the development and testing of two conceptual models predicting body mass index (BMI) and perceived health status based on the Biopsychosocial model and the Theory of Nigrescence. The constructs measured in the study were perceived health status, racial identity, socioeconomic status, psychological distress, body image, nutrition habits and fitness level as measured by the MSBRQ, CRIS, BSI, FIS and the SEI. One hundred and ninety female adult participants (ages 18-89) were recruited from churches located in a rural area of North Carolina. Eighty-four percent of this sample met criteria for overweight or obese and 29% of the sample were unemployed, retired or disabled. The results found that the model predicting BMI was flawed beyond modification, but the model predicting perceived health status showed significant promise with only slight model modifications. Some of the significant relationships of note include a strong positive relationship between psychological distress and poor nutrition, a predictive negative relationship between body image and BMI and no relationship between perceived health status and BMI. Implications for mental health professionals are discussed and further research suggested, including measurement of additional constructs, recruitment of a more diverse sample and the utilization of different measurements. |
