The Relationship of Socioeconomic Status, and Acculturation/Enculturation to BMI and Perceptions of Body Image Among College-Aged African American Women

THE RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, AND ACCULTURATION/ENCULTURATION TO BMI AND PERCEPTIONS OF BODY IMAGE AMONG COLLEGE-AGED AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of SES and acculturation/enculturation to body image perceptions and overweight (i.e. BMI) among African American college women. A secondary purpose was to examine which factors predicted BMI. Participants included 101 African American women from the University of New Orleans, aged 18-39 years of age. Participants completed a demographic information sheet, and four questionnaires assessing the components of body image and levels of acculturation/enculturation. There was no significant main effect of SES on levels of acculturation/enculturation. There was no significant effect of SES on the cognitive and behavioral components of body image. However, SES related to the affective component of body image. A significant interaction was found for SES and acculturation/enculturation on the affective component of body image, but no such effects were found for the cognitive and behavioral components of body image, or BMI. The cognitive component of body image was a significant predictor of BMI.