Association Between Maladaptive Eating Behaviors Among Black Women and Vicarious Racial Discrimination Following a High-Profile Event

Abstract

Objective Evidence suggests that racial discrimination causes stress among non-Hispanic Black women, and some Black women may cope with exposure to vicarious racial discrimination by engaging in maladaptive eating behaviors. Methods We examined eating behaviors among Black women (N = 254) before and after Freddie Gray’s death while in police custody. Maladaptive eating behaviors were assessed using the three-factor eating questionnaire. Our independent variables included the following: (1) time period and (2) geographic proximity to the event. Three two-way analysis of covariance tests were conducted to assess potential effects of geographic proximity (close, distant), time period in relation to unrest (before, after unrest), and their interaction on emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, and cognitive restraint controlling for participant age. Results There was a statistically significant main effect of proximity to the unrest on emotional eating, F (1, 252) = 5.64, p = .018, and partial η2 = .022 such that women living in close geographic proximity to the unrest reported higher mean levels of emotional eating as compared to those living more distant to the unrest. There was also a borderline statistically significant interaction between geographic proximity and time period on cognitive restraint, F (1, 252) = 3.89, p = .050, and partial η2 = .015. Conclusion Our study found a relationship between vicarious racial discrimination and maladaptive eating behaviors among Black women. Future work should examine stress related to vicarious racial discrimination and maladaptive eating behaviors longitudinally.