The clash of culture and cuisine: A qualitative exploration of cultural tensions and attitudes toward food and body in Chinese young adult women

Validation of the Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness Scale with Chinese adolescents and young adults

Research has revealed a negative association between appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC) and mental health, but the impact of this association in the Chinese population remains understudied. This study examined the psychometric properties of the ASMC scale among Chinese adolescents and young adults and to further investigate the scale's measurement invariance and differences in ASMC across gender and age groups. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to examine the ASMC scale's factorial structure among Chinese adolescents and young adults, including 1109 adolescents (50.0% boys) aged 12-18 (mean, 14.89) years and 457 young adults (42.5% men) aged 18-25 (mean, 20.75) years. The measurement invariance across gender and age groups, internal consistency and convergent validity were examined. ASMC scale was found to have a unidimensional structure and to be invariant across gender and age groups. It exhibited excellent internal consistency and strong construct validity. Moderate gender differences and pronounced age differences in ASMC scale scores were observed. Our findings support the validity of the ASMC scale as an effective instrument for the measurement of appearance-related social media consciousness experience among Chinese young adults and adolescents. Further study is required to evaluate the status of ASMC as a risk factor for disordered eating and target for preventive interventions within Chinese samples.

A feminist approach to eating disorders in China: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

As women continue to be more at risk from eating disorders, gender has often been a focus of concern in transcultural research. Yet feminist, qualitative studies which prioritize the voices of women/girls remain rare within transcultural work suggesting the need for greater interaction between these fields. This article seeks to contribute to the exploration of the applicability of feminist paradigmslargely developed in the West-to experiences of EDs in non-western contexts.

METHODS

This article draws on semi-structured interviews with 12 women from urban China with self-reported experience of Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED) in order to explore the complex ways in which gender may be implicated within eating/body distress from a transcultural point of view. The data is analysed through Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

RESULTS

The data analysis suggested two broad themes: (1) Chinese versus Western codes for judging female appearance: from surveillance to liberation (2) Discipline, appetite and control: the gendered/cultural meanings of binging and purging. In terms of the first theme, many participants had spent time in the West which was understood as a less regulated context in terms of gendered body surveillance and eating. Complicating existing assumptions about the 'Westernisation' thesis, different communication codes and peer interactions across Chinese and Western contexts played a central role in how participants experienced their bodies. In the second theme, binging and purging emerged as a way to manage a number of contradictions surrounding Chinese femininity, including respecting familial food cultures, contradictory discourses on female 'appetite', and the need to display a female body which signified cultural imperatives of self-restraint and discipline.

CONCLUSIONS

The data emphasises the importance of examining the culturally specific meanings of eating problems and their gendered contexts, whilst there is clearly much that echoes Western feminist work on Western samples. Although limited, the study crucially points to the importance of examining how ED subcategories other than AN can be explored from a transcultural and feminist point of view.

Risk factors for eating disorders among Chinese and international university students: a comparative cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) and their association with socio-demographic and behavioural factors among university students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study among university students (Chinese and international) in Nanjing, China. We collected the data from 877 students, of which 811 were eligible for this study. They submitted a self-administered questionnaire (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire 6 (EDE-Q6) related to socio-demographic, health variables and lifestyle factors. Data were assessed with the help of SPSS software.

RESULTS

A total of 401 Chinese and 410 international university students (49.44% vs. 50.55%) participated in this study. Binary logistic regression showed that young female adults of 18~25 years of age had more risk of developing eating disorders. Higher body mass index (BMI), such as overweight and obesity, were more influential risk factors (p < 0.001) for eating disorders. The significant risks (p < 0.001) EDs were found in students who were athletes, physically active, and involved in various extra-curricular activities. Alcohol and smoking were significant risk factors associated with eating disorders.

CONCLUSION

The results indicated higher risks of eating disorders followed by objective binge eating and compensatory behaviour. In this scenario, early assessment and treatment are necessary to reduce the burden of eating disorders and to promote good nutritional practices among university students.

Exploring the Determinants of Food Choice in Chinese Mainlanders and Chinese Immigrants: A Systematic Review

Determinants of food choice in Chinese populations have not been systematically synthesised using a cultural lens. This study reviewed qualitative studies exploring food choice determinants of both Chinese mainlanders and Chinese immigrants living in Western countries. Ovid Medline, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure database (CNKI) were searched from database inception to 1 April 2021. Studies were included if they involved qualitative research methods, were written in English or Chinese, investigated the factors influencing food choices, and targeted Chinese mainlanders or Chinese immigrants living in Western countries. Twenty-five studies (24 in English, 1 in Chinese) were included, involving 2048 participants. Four themes were identified; (1) the principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), (2) perceptions of a healthy diet in Chinese culture (e.g., regular eating, eating in moderation, and emphasis on food freshness), (3) the desire to maintain harmony in families/communities, and (4) physical/social environmental factors all significantly influenced Chinese people's food choices. It is important to acknowledge these factors when developing culturally appropriate nutrition programs for promoting health in Chinese mainlanders and Chinese immigrants.

Body Image and Eating Disorders Among South Asian American Women: What Are We Missing?

This study used focus group methodology to examine South Asian (SA) American women's conceptualizations of eating disorders (EDs) and body dissatisfaction, and their perspectives regarding cultural influences on these conditions. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, seven focus groups were conducted (N = 54, mean age = 20.11 years, SD = 2.52). Themes (n = 15) were organized according to the amended objectification theory framework. Women described experiences of cultural stressors specifically related to living in the United States, and weight stigma from multiple sources, especially older women (e.g., mothers, relatives, and aunties). Participants also experienced pressures to achieve competing body and appearance ideals ("thin" and "healthy"). In addition, they reported pressures to possess light skin, dark black hair, minimal body hair, and marry young, and noted these pressures negatively impacted their body esteem. Findings indicate that a combination of "traditional" and culturally-influenced factors are important to consider when conceptualizing eating pathology and body image in young SA American women.