Eating disorders in black students from Salvador: the relationship with body image/Transtorno alimentar em estudantes negras de Salvador: a relacao com a imagem corporal

• Published in: Demetra: Alimentação, Nutrição e Saúde Nutrição e Saúde, 2017-03, Vol.12 (1), p.169
• Main Authors: Bittencourt, Liliane de Jesus, Nunes, Monica de Oliveira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2238-913X; 2238-913X
• DOI: 10.12957/demetra.2017.22141

Objective: To evaluate if belonging to ethnic/racial groups may predispose females to being dissatisfied with their body image and to the risk of developing eating disorders. Methods: A two-step study was conducted with students attending private or public high schools or universities. A quantitative step involved sociodemographic variables, experiences of racism, the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), risk screening tools for eating disorder and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) in order to evaluate body image dissatisfaction. A qualitative step involved focus groups and life stories. The analysis consisted in associating data from the two segments of the study. Results: Of the 626 students evaluated, 34% were concerned with body image and 6.6% were considered at risk for eating disorders. Although the ten students who identified themselves as black were not considered to be at risk of developing an eating disorder when evaluated by the screening tools (EAT-26), seven had actually experienced eating disorders according to their life story. Conclusion: The results of the quantitative tests for diagnosis of risk of eating disorders conflicted with those of the qualitative evaluation in individuals of different ethnic/racial groups. Dissatisfaction with body image, and having experienced or perceived racism, as associated with personal, family and social conflicts, were found to be at the root of these behaviors. Keywords: Eating Disorders. Body Image. Race/Ethnicity. Black Woman. Objetivo: avaliar ate que ponto pertencer a grupos etnicos/raciais diferentes das mulheres brancas pode predispor a insatisfacao com a imagem corporal e ao risco para desenvolver transtornos alimentares. Metodo: estudo realizado com estudantes de 15 a 30 anos, de instituicoes de ensino medio e universitario, publico e privado. Realizado em duas etapas: a quantitativa, utilizando informacoes sociodemograficas e de vivencia do racismo, o EAT-26, instrumento de triagem de risco para transtorno alimentar, e o BSQ, para avaliacao de insatisfacao com a imagem corporal; e a qualitativa, com grupos focais e historia de vida. A analise foi realizada associando informacoes das duas etapas de investigacao. Resultados: Das 626 estudantes pesquisadas, 34% tinham preocupacao com a imagem corporal e 6,6%, risco de comportamentos alimentares desordenados. As dez estudantes que se identificaram como negras e que participaram da etapa qualitativa da investigacao nao apresentavam risco para desenvolvim