Minority Health and Health Equity Archive

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/21769

Welcome to the Minority Health and Health Equity Archive (MHHEA), an electronic archive for digital resource materials in the fields of minority health and health disparities research and policy. It is offered as a no-charge resource to the public, academic scholars and health science researchers interested in the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities.

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Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    AN EXPLORATION OF BODY IMAGE PERCEPTION IN AN AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION
    (2009) Amburgey, Kimberly
    This study examined body image perception among participants of the Healthy Black Family Project (HBFP) through the Center for Minority Health. As part of this examination, body image perception of the participants' social networks, differences between ethnicities, and the association of disease risk with body image perception were studied. METHODS: The participants' perceptions of body image were assessed using responses in words as well as pictures. Body image satisfaction was assessed by comparing current and ideal bodies selected from a pictorial scale. Chi-square analysis and Fisher's Exact tests were performed to assess the accuracy of the participants' perceptions of body image in comparison to measured BMI. Body image perceptions of the social networks were compared with the participants' perceived and measured BMI using ANOVA and linear regression analysis. Comparisons between ethnicities were also assessed using Fisher's Exact test and 95% confidence intervals. Risk perception between weight categories was assessed using ANOVA and Fisher's Exact tests.RESULTS: This analysis revealed body image perceptions underestimated measured BMI's. Consistent with other published studies, females wished to lose weight, while males wished to remain the same or gain weight. Obese participants were more accurate in assessing their weight category using the pictorial scale, while normal weight participants were more accurate in words. The majority of social networks were perceived as obese and participants of both genders associated with female family members of similar size. HBFP participants perceived larger bodies as obese than a previously studied Caucasian population and female participants chose larger bodies as ideal. Disease risks were not consistently associated with body image perceptions.CONCLUSIONS: In this population, significant differences in body image perception exist. Accuracy of body image differs between weight categories and body image satisfaction differs between genders. In contrast to Caucasian populations, different perceptions of obesity exist and larger female bodies are perceived as ideal. PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE: Programs involving disease prevention and weight management should involve components of body image perception education. In order for these education programs to be more effective, they should include factors that encompass differences in ethnicity, gender, and weight class.
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    An Ergonomic Assessment and Fitness Evaluation of Young Male Tea Factory Workers in Dooars, West Bengal
    (2012) Sengupta , P; Sahoo, S
    Introduction: There are very few published reports on the heath status of tea garden workers of West Bengal, while reports on cardiorespiratory fineness and body composition of male tea factory workers is almost scanty. Purpose: The present study was carried out in the Dooars region of the Cooch Behar district, West Bengal to evaluate the physical fitness and morphological characteristics due to the physio-logical workload of respondents engaged in processing of tea leaves in factories within the tea-estates. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in 18-25 years’ young male tea-garden workers (n=15) by random selection from Cooch Behar District, West Bengal (mean age 20.1) and college students (n=15) of Kolkata (mean age 21.9), who served as controls. Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated in terms of maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) and physical fitness index (PFI), while morphological characters were estimated by means of physical anthropometric measures. Results: A significant difference in body surface area, body mass index, percentage of body fat (% fat), blood pressure, physical fitness index, energy expenditure, anaerobic power, mean upper arm circumference, thigh circumference, waist circum-ference and buttock circumference were found (p<0.05) in tea garden workers. No significant difference was observed in calf circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Conclusions: On the basis of the findings of the present study using morphometric indicators and fitness markers it can be concluded that, the majority of respondents had an ectomorph stature but have good physical fitness level.
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    Sex and Ethnic Differences in Validity of Self-reported Adult Height, Weight and Body Mass Index
    (2012) Wen, Ming; Kowaleski-Jones, Lori
    Abstract available at publisher's website.
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    Interactions between metallopeptidase 3 polymorphism rs679620 and BMI in predicting blood pressure in African–American women with hypertension
    (2008) Taylor, Jacquelyn; Sun, Yan V; Chu, Jian; Mosley, Thomas H; Kardia, Sharon L
    Abstract available at publisher's website.
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    Physical activity resource attributes and obesity in low-income African Americans.
    (2009) McAlexander, Kristen M; Banda, Jorge A; McAlexander, Joshua W; Lee, Rebecca E
    More than two thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, and African Americans are particularly vulnerable to obesity when compared to Caucasians. Ecological models of health suggest that lower individual and environmental socioeconomic status and the built environment may be related to health attitudes and behaviors that contribute to obesity. This cross-sectional study measured the direct associations of neighborhood physical activity resource attributes with body mass index (BMI) and body fat among low-income 216 African Americans (Mean (M) age = 43.5 years, 63.9% female) residing in 12 public housing developments. The Physical Activity Resource Assessment instrument measured accessibility, incivilities, and the quality of features and amenities of each physical activity resource within an 800-m radius around each housing development. Sidewalk connectivity was measured using the Pedestrian Environment Data Scan instrument. Ecological multivariate regression models analyzed the associations between the built environment attributes and resident BMI and body fat at the neighborhood level. Sidewalk connectivity was associated with BMI (M = 31.3 kg/m(2); p < 0.05). Sidewalk connectivity and resource accessibility were associated with body fat percentage (M = 34.8%, p < 0.05). Physical activity resource attributes and neighborhood sidewalk connectivity were related to BMI and body fat among low-income African Americans living in housing developments.
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    Ethnic minorities and weight control research priorities: Where are we now and where do we need to be?
    (2008) KUMANYIKA, S
    Within the overall obesity epidemic, the burden of obesity and related health problems is particularly high among African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, and Pacific Islanders--both children and adults. The often asked question of what types of obesity interventions work in these populations reflects uncertainty about how applicable standard interventions are to diverse socio-cultural groups and socio-environmental contexts. A meta-analysis in this issue of Preventive Medicine (Seo and Sa, 2008. A meta-analysis of psycho-behavioral obesity interventions among US multiethnic and minority adults) includes selected multi-ethnic and minority-focused studies that in total had 40% minority participants. Although the authors' conclusions were congruent with current general guidance for weight loss programs, insights about how to intervene with minority populations were limited by the small amount and nature of the available evidence. Ethnic minorities in the aggregate are now a third of the U.S. population. We should be purposeful in identifying research needs and quality standards for conducting and reporting studies with these populations and in motivating related research. Improving the relevance to and quality of evidence on obesity prevention and treatment for a more diverse set of populations will also improve the weight control literature as a whole.