Black and White Females' Perceptions of Ideal Body Size and Social Norms

Different cultural norms and standards for appropriate female body size might contribute to the disparity in obesity rates between black and white adult females (46.0% and 24.6% respectively). The purpose of this study was to measure adolescents' perceptions of ideal size and social norms regarding female body size as well as adolescents' perceptions of significant others' evaluation and expectations of the adolescents' body size. Subjects included 437 adolescent girls (247 white and 190 black) aged 13 to 19 (x = 14.9, SD = .979) from six randomly selected public schools. The subjects, heights and weights were measured. Responses to a body image questionnaire and a series of nine female body drawings (arranged ordinally, 1 to 9, from thinnest to heaviest) were analyzed using the General Linear Model and Logistic Regression. The female body size considered ideal by black females was significantly larger than the size selected as ideal by white females (x = 3.47 and x = 3.13 respectively, p < 0.001). Black females were two times more likely than white females to describe themselves as thinner than other girls their age (O.R. = 2.01, 95% C.I. 1.34, 3.01) and seven times as likely to say that they were not overweight (O.R. = 7.08, 95% C.I. 3.72, 13.45). White females wanted to be a smaller size than they currently were and felt encouraged by significant others to lose weight or reduce their size. Black females did not indicate as great a desire as whites to be smaller and they tended to feel that their size was considered satisfactory by significant others. Only subjects from the low SES group perceived that significant others wanted them to gain weight. The differences between black and white subjects' beliefs and perceptions about body size norms may explain, in part, why heavier body weights persist in some cultural groups.

Assessment of clinical partner violence screening tools

OBJECTIVE

To compare the Women's Experience with Battering Scale (WEB) with the Index of Spouse Abuse-Physical Scale (ISA-P) as screening tools to identify intimate partner violence (IPV).

METHODS

We conducted a large cross-sectional survey of women age 18 to 65 attending one of two family practice clinics from 1997 to 1998. All women completed both the WEB and the ISA-P and a telephone interview. We figured agreement estimates between the two tools, used stratified analyses to evaluate attributes of those more likely to screen as battered or physically assaulted, and compared associations between the WEB and ISA-P and a range of mental and physical health indicators known to be associated with IPV.

RESULTS

18% of 1152 eligible women surveyed had experienced IPV in a current or most recent intimate relationship with a male partner; 17% had been battered (WEB+), and 10% had been physically assaulted (ISA-P+). Had we used the ISA-P alone to assess IPV, we would have missed almost 45% of IPV. As anticipated, the ISA-P was more strongly associated with IPV-associated injuries and number of physician visits in the last year. The WEB was more strongly associated with self-perceived mental health, anxiety, depression, drug abuse, and low social support.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians need validated screening tools to rapidly and reliably screen patients for IPV. Most screening tools assess physical violence and injury without considering the more chronic experience of battering and the psychological terror associated with this violence. The WEB may identify more abused women than tools measuring physical assaults.

Expanding the criteria for defining success when evaluating weight loss intervention programs

In order to evaluate outcomes among former participants in a residential weight loss program, attendees were surveyed from 1 to 5 years post-intervention. A total of 187 respondents were studied for weight changes and behavioral practices. Diet practices were assessed by number of servings per day using the Food Guide Pyramid recommendations as a guideline for indicating fruit and vegetable intake. Exercise behaviors were measured in frequency, duration, and intensity, and a weighted score was computed to obtain units for describing physical activity. Maintaining a 10% weight loss from the program entry weight, consuming five or more servings per day of fruits and/or vegetables (5-a-day) and maintaining an "active" level of physical activity were included in criteria for describing intervention success. Those meeting two of the three criteria were categorized as "successful," which included 35.8% of the study population. Because each of these behaviors (5-a-day, active lifestyle, and modest weight loss maintenance) result in independent risk reduction, it is recommended that future weight loss intervention evaluations expand the criteria for describing successful impacts and outcomes to include not only weight maintenance, but also physical activity and diet compliance behaviors.

Economic impact of hospital closure on small rural counties, 1984 to 1988: demonstration of a comparative analysis approach

Hospital closure in a rural community may affect the locale's economic prospects as well as the health of its residents. Studies of economic effects have primarily relied on modeling techniques rather than observation of actual change. This study demonstrates the use of a comparative analysis approach for estimating the economic effects of hospital closure on small rural counties. The experiences of 103 small rural counties at which a hospital closed between 1984 and 1988 was compared with a matched group of counties at which no closure took place. "Comparable" counties were selected based on seven scales measuring the similarity between a closure county and potential comparisons. Three scales examined population and economic characteristics in the year before closure; two scales measured change throughout a three-year period preceding closure; and two scales measured change throughout a five-year period preceding closure. Closure effects were measured through a multivariate analysis of the post-closure economic history of closure and comparison counties. The key assumption is that similar counties should have similar experiences over time. If an event occurs within some of these counties but not others, this event should have visible effects. Comparative analysis suggested that earned income in closure counties (excluding farming and mining income) was lower than in comparison counties subsequent to closure and that labor force growth was similarly affected. A comparative analysis approach produces results that parallel those obtained from economic modeling and should be considered for further research.

Relationship between number of sexual intercourse partners and selected health risk behaviors among public high school adolescents

PURPOSE

To examine the relationship between number of sexual partners and selected health risk behaviors in a statewide sample of public high school students.

METHODS

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey was used to secure usable sexual risk-taking, substance use, and violence/aggression data from 3805 respondents. Because simple polychotomous logistic regression analysis revealed a significant Race x Gender interaction, subsequent multivariate models were constructed separately for each race-gender group. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals was calculated from polychotomous logistic regression models for number of sexual intercourse partners and their potential risk behavior correlates.

RESULTS

An increased number of sexual intercourse partners were correlated with a cluster of risk behaviors that place adolescents at risk for unintended pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and other sexually transmitted infections. For Black females, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use, and dating violence behaviors were the strongest predictors of an increased number of sexual partners; white females had similar predictors with the addition of physical fighting. For white males, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use, physical fighting, carrying weapons, and dating violence were the strongest predictors of an increased number of sexual intercourse partners. Black males had similar predictors with the addition of binge alcohol use.

CONCLUSION

Prevention of adolescent sexual and other health risk behaviors calls for creative approaches in school and community settings and will require long-term intervention strategies focused on adolescent behavior changes and environmental modifications.

Blood pressure in Hispanic women: the role of diet, acculturation, and physical activity

The role of diet, acculturation, and physical activity on systolic and diastolic blood pressure was examined among 1,420 Mexican American, 388 Cuban American, and 542 Puerto Rican women who responded to the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected in 1982-4. Dietary intake measures included sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, ethanol, and total kilocalories as estimated from 24-hour recall data. Serum sodium/potassium ratio was included as a measure of metabolic function. Acculturation was measured using language preference, speaking, reading and writing. Physical activity included recreational and non-recreational activities. Other correlates included age, education, and body composition. Final models indicated that age and body composition were significantly associated with blood pressure across all three Hispanic subgroups. Among Mexican-American women, acculturation had an impact on both systolic and diastolic blood pressure that was independent of diet, body composition, and physical activity. Furthermore, the dietary intake of specific nutrients such as sodium and potassium did not appear to be as important as the way the individual metabolized those nutrients, as indicated by the serum sodium/potassium ratio. The strong association of body mass index with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure among all three ethnic groups reinforces the need to maintain an appropriate body weight.

Factors associated with weight change among clients of a residential weight control program indicating binge and nonbinge traits

The long-term effects of a 12- and 26-day residential weight control program on weight change were determined in 187 men and women, 1 to 5 years after treatment. Subjects completed a paper/pencil questionnaire assessing current diet, weight control techniques, exercise behaviors, behavior modification techniques, binge eating, and dieting behavior. General linear modeling was used to investigate the association between behaviors maintained posttreatment and current weight among subjects who demonstrated behaviors indicative of binge traits (BT) and nonbinge traits (NBT). Results indicate that dissimilar variables are predictive of weight change in the BT and NBT groups. Engaging in exercise behaviors and reduced attempts at dieting lead to greater weight loss in NBT individuals. The use of preplaning techniques was found to be indicative of greater weight loss in BT individuals. These findings suggest the importance of identifying individuals who indulge in binge-eating behaviors prior to intervention in order to deliver the appropriate treatment methods.

The relationship between diet, activity, and other factors, and postpartum weight change by race

OBJECTIVE

To identify the impact of dietary intake and activity level on postpartum weight change.

METHODS

White (n = 121) and black (n = 224) women, 7-12 months postpartum, participating in the Special Supplemental Feeding Program for Women, Infants, and Children were assessed for dietary intake, activity level, body weight, and other maternal characteristics.

RESULTS

For both black and white women, the most important variables in predicting postpartum weight loss were pre-pregnancy weight, gestational weight gain, parity, and prenatal exercise. After these factors were controlled, race predicted that black women retained 6.4 lb more than white women. These results may be due to the finding that black women reported significantly higher mean energy intake (2039 versus 1552 kcal, P < .001), higher percent fat in diet (41 versus 38%, P < .001), and significantly lower amounts of prenatal and postpartum activity.

CONCLUSION

Higher energy intake and lower activity levels in black postpartum mothers compared with white mothers may contribute to the significantly higher rates of obesity found in black mothers. This study suggests the need for intervention strategies in the prenatal and postpartum periods to help those at risk of retaining weight gained during pregnancy.

Symbolic representation of cleft lip and palate

Since the introduction of symbolic representations of cleft lip and palate anomalies in 1964, they have served the clinician as a quick and easy method of recording these disorders. This paper reviews the evolution of the schematic classification systems and evaluates them. It then presents a new scheme that synthesizes what the authors feel are the most advanced of the existing symbolic representations. This proposed new symbolic representation scheme also specifically provides for ratings of severity (including the documentation of microforms) and facilitates computerized data storage and analysis.