Linking Femininity, Weight Concern, and Mental Health Among Latina, Black, and White Women

Depression and Body Image among Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Common features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), including hyperandrogenism, ovarian dysfunction and obesity, can be highly distressing. We compared 40 women with PCOS to women with infertility but not PCOS, and to women with neither PCOS nor infertility, on measures of depression and body image. Women with PCOS reported higher depression scores and greater body dissatisfaction ( p < .001) than comparison group women. Body image was strongly associated with depression overall, even after controlling body mass. Among women with PCOS, body dissatisfaction measures and education explained 66 percent of the variance in depression, suggesting explanations of the PCOS–depression link should consider the role of potentially mediating psychosocial variables.

Assessing the factor structure of the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT) in an overweight and obese Croatian non-clinical sample

PURPOSE

The study objectives are to investigate the psychometric properties of the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT-A) in a general sample of overweight and obese persons in Croatia, to evaluate structure differences between men and women and to examine the relationship with other measures of body dissatisfaction as well as with objective body mass measure.

METHODS

This study included 320 adults (156 women and 164 men; aged between 20 and 71) with BMIs ranging from 24 to 48.83 kg/m(2).

RESULTS

The analysis confirmed a structural one-factor model for BUT-A. The one-factor model fits the data equally as well as the more complex five-factor model did and should be considered a more robust, parsimonious and adequate model. Female participants showed higher results (higher body uneasiness), but the importance of items is roughly comparable between genders. The BUT-A score significantly contributes to the prediction of general body dissatisfaction, even after gender and BMI are controlled. The multifaceted nature of the BUT-A might explain the relatively low measure of general body dissatisfaction in this sample. Congruent with previous studies, obese subjects expressed dissatisfaction with their body on the figure rating scale by selecting the ideal figure two units thinner than their current body figure. In overweight and obese men, body dissatisfaction is lower than in women.

CONCLUSION

The BUT-A can be a reliable one-dimensional tool for the assessment of body uneasiness in a wide range of samples, including obese individuals.

The association between obesity, depression, and educational attainment in women: the mediating role of body image dissatisfaction

OBJECTIVE

We examine the mediating role of body image dissatisfaction (BID) on the association between obesity and depression and the variation of this association as a function of years of education among a population-based sample of women aged 40-65 years.

METHODS

A series of sample-weighted logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between obesity, BID, and depression, stratified by educational attainment. Data were obtained from a structured telephone interview of 4543 female health plan enrollees, including self-reported height and weight, the Patient Health Questionnaire assessment of depression, and a single-item measure of BID.

RESULTS

Among those with <16 years of education, in both the unadjusted and adjusted models, obesity and BID were significantly associated with depression. Similarly, among those with ≥ 16 years of education, obesity and BID were significantly associated with depression in the unadjusted models. However, in the adjusted model, only BID was associated with depression. A formal test for mediation suggests that the association between obesity and depression was mediated by BID regardless of level of education.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that BID-mediated the obesity-depression association. In addition, obesity and BID may be salient risk factors for depression among middle-aged women as a function of the level of education.

Racial/ethnic differences in the association between obesity and major depressive disorder: findings from the Comprehensive Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys

OBJECTIVES

This study examined whether the association between obesity and 12-month prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) varied according to racial/ethnic status and nativity in representative national samples of black, Latino, Asian, and non-Hispanic white people.

METHODS

We used data from the Comprehensive Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys.

RESULTS

In analyses by gender, obesity was associated with an elevated risk of MDD among non-Hispanic white women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27, 2.35; p = 0.001). Formal test for interaction revealed significant variation by race present between non-Hispanic white women and black, Latin, and Asian women. No significant differences were evident among men. In analyses by nativity, the association between obesity and MDD was significant among U.S.-born non-Hispanic white women (AOR=1.62; 95% CI 1.16, 2.27; p = 0.001) and U.S.-born black women (AOR = 1.29; 95% CI 1.01, 1.66; p = 0.041). Significant interactions were present among U.S.-born white and black women, Latin women, and Asian women. No significant interactions were evident among foreign-born women. Similarly, no significant differences were present among native-born or foreign-born men.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that the association between obesity and MDD varies according to racial/ethnic status and nativity. Understanding the link between obesity and depression may be imperative to designing interventions to address body weight maintenance and reduction strategies among women.

Cross-ethnic differences in eating disorder symptoms and related distress

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated ethnic differences in the frequency of eating disorder symptoms and related distress in a U.S. college-based eating disorders screening program.

METHOD

Responses to self-report questions and counselors' assessment were analyzed in an ethnically diverse sample (n = 5,435).

RESULTS

The frequency of binge-eating, restrictive eating, vomiting, and amenorrhea did not differ significantly across ethnic groups. However, significant between-group differences were found with respect to modes of purging. Binge correlates (e.g., eating until uncomfortably full) were significantly more frequent among Caucasian than African American participants (p < .001). Binge eating was the best predictor of distress among Caucasians, African Americans, and Latinos, whereas vomiting was the best predictor of distress among Asians. Asian participants who used laxatives were significantly less likely to receive a recommendation for further evaluation than non-Asian participants.

CONCLUSION

Ethnic diversity in symp tom prevalence and related distress was identified. Clinician recognition of this potential diversity may enhance culturally competent care for eating disorders.

Ethnicity and body dissatisfaction among women in the United States: A meta-analysis

The prevailing view in popular culture and the psychological literature is that White women have greater body dissatisfaction than women of color. In this meta-analysis, 6 main effect sizes were obtained for differences among Asian American, Black, Hispanic, and White women with a sample of 98 studies, yielding 222 effect sizes. The average d for the White-Black comparison was 0.29, indicating that White women are more dissatisfied, but the difference is small. All other comparisons were smaller, and many were close to zero. The findings directly challenge the belief that there are large differences in dissatisfaction between White and all non-White women and suggest that body dissatisfaction may not be the golden girl problem promoted in the literature. Implications for theory and treatment are discussed.

The role of body dissatisfaction as a risk factor for depression in adolescent girls: are the differences Black and White?

Body dissatisfaction, disordered eating and depression differentially affect adolescent girls (compared to boys); however, these variables have not been examined in relation to ethnicity. A review of the literature finds that Black adolescent girls are more satisfied with their bodies than White adolescent girls and engage much less frequently in dieting or disordered eating than do White girls in the US. A central question raised by this review is whether body dissatisfaction and pubertal timing are as relevant to our understanding of the etiology of depression in Black girls as they appear to be in White girls. Based on the available data, it does not seem that a risk factor model supporting the role of early pubertal timing, weight increases and body dissatisfaction in the development of depression applies to Black adolescent girls. This review underscores the need for future research with a variety of ethnic minority groups to better understand the etiology of adolescent depression.