ERIC Number: EJ791931
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Mar-22
Pages: 9
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0001-8449
EISSN: N/A
Hispanic versus African American Girls: Body Image, Nutrition, and Puberty
Talpade, Medha
Adolescence (San Diego): an international quarterly devoted to the physiological, psychological, psychiatric, sociological, and educational aspects of the second decade of human life, v43 n169 p119 Mar 2008
Public health research has been dominated by the biomedical model, which does not appear to be appropriate for studying public health variables across different populations. For example, when comparing the Hispanic American (HA) and African American (AA) population in the U.S., there are similarities on several demographic and public health variables. Despite these similarities, there is a public health paradox. HA with strong cultural ties engage in fewer high-risk behaviors and therefore have favorable health outcomes. The primary focus of this study however, is the health disparities between AA and HA girls in particular. Pediatric research indicates that HA girls are developing secondary sexual characteristics at a later age than AA girls. Researchers have acknowledged that growth trends are sensitive to life changes such as catastrophes, prosperity, and those which affect diet and lifestyle. Thus, this study investigated whether there are differences in food intake between HA and AA girls as a function of early sexual maturation and body image perceptions in the context of culture. Participating were 23 HA and 44 AA girls, aged 7 to 10 years, and 1 of their parent/guardians.
Descriptors: Females, Self Concept, Public Health, Puberty, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Risk, Health Behavior, Cultural Differences, Nutrition, Food, Comparative Analysis, Sexuality
Libra Publishers Inc. 3089C Clairemont Drive PMB 383, San Diego, CA 92117. Tel: 858-571-1414
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A