Body image ideals of low-income African American mothers and their preadolescent daughters

Television and Perceived Peer Expectations of Body Size Among African American Adolescent Girls

“…Previous research seems to suggest that the difference in beauty ideals between African American and European American samples-the former espousing a heavier ideal (Adams et al, 2000;Dolamore, 1999;Flynn & Fitzgibbon, 1996;Thompson et al, 1997)-results in little or no media-triggered body dissatisfaction or eating disorder symtomology among girls of color (Beasley, 2000;Botta, 2000). Our findings, we hope, will discourage generalizations about all girls of color being impervious to ideal-body media.…”

“…Being relatively thin, and thus already closer to the body shape that matches the dominant beauty ideal, they should be unlikely to desire increased thinness regardless of their television viewing habits; furthermore, it seems equally implausible that they would express aspirations to be heavier given the dearth of positive portrayals of fatness on television (Fouts & Burggraf, 2000). On the other hand, because research shows that African American girls choose fullerfigured beauty ideals than do European American girls (Flynn & Fitzgibbon, 1996;Jackson & McGill, 1996;Thompson et al, 1997), it is possible that exposure to ideal-body television will be associated with a desire to be larger among girls with a relatively small body mass. In the absence of a clear prediction for smaller-bodied girls, a research question was posed.…”

“…First, the thin body type is not extolled as the quintessential figure ideal for African American females. Flynn and Fitzgibbon (1996) found that preadolescent, low-income African American girls embraced a normal-weight ideal rather than the ultrathin ideal embraced by European American girls. Similarly, in assessing racial and gender differences in perceptions of the ideal body, Thompson, Corwin, and Sargent (1997) found that African American children selected significantly heavier ideal body sizes than did European American children.…”

African American Women and Obesity: From Explanations to Prevention

“…When compared to white women and women of other ethnic origin, AAW in these studies have heavier body ideals and less body dissatisfaction. Some studies have documented that even African American girls report less body image dissatisfaction than White girls (Botta 1999(Botta , 2000(Botta , 2003Burke et al 1996;Oliver 2001;Flynn and Fitzgibbon 1996;Parnell et al 1996;Sherwood et al 2003).…”

African American women, body composition, and physical activity

“…The AAW in these studies did not experience body size dissatisfaction at higher BMIs. Studies have documented that even African American girls report less body image dissatisfaction than White girls (e.g., Botta, 1999Botta, , 2000Botta, , & 2003Oliver, 2001;Flynn & Fitzgibbon, 1996;Parnell, Sargent, Thompson, Duhe, Valois, Kemper, 1996;Sherwood, Story, Beech, Klesges, Mellin, Neumark-Sztaine, & Davis, 2003).…”