Weight Loss Methods Used by African American
and Euro-American Women
In this naturalistic study employing intensive
interviews and anthropometric measures, an educationally and economically
diverse community-based sample of 40 African American and 40 Euro-American
women described their lifetime experiences with weight management. Twenty
types of weight loss methods were identified and grouped into one of three
categories: lifestyle work, head work, and professional services. The
most frequently used weight loss methods were from the lifestyle work
category, with the leading methods identified as exercise on own and reduce
high calorie and/or increase low calorie foods. African Americans and
Euro-Americans overwhelmingly used similar weight loss methods, with the
only significant difference occurring in the more frequent use of commercial
diet products among the African American group. Methods from the head
work category were used significantly more often by women with higher
social status, while heavier women more frequently sought professional
services to lose weight than thinner women. The Euro-American women engaged
in weight loss methods for significantly longer periods of time and were
found to weigh significantly less than the African American women. These
findings suggest that the shorter duration of weight loss attempts may
be a major factor contributing to the larger body size in African American
women.
Source: Tyler DO, Allan JD, Alcozer FR.
University of Texas, School of Nursing, Austin 78701, USA.1997
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