Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #102663

Delores C.S. James, PhD, RD, LD, Health Science Education, University of Florida, PO Box 118210, Room 5 FLG, Gainesville, FL 32611, 352-392-0583, djames@hhp.ufl.edu and Jennifer R. Bonds, Health Education and Behavior, Universtiy of Florida, PO Box 118210, Gainesville, FL 32611-8210.

The goals of this project were to assess body satisfaction and identify dieting patterns among African American College students, and 2) to compare differences in these variables between students at a predominantly white university (PWU) and a historically black college and university (HBCU). 402 African American undergraduate females completed a self-administered survey (199 HBC and 203 PWU). The mean BMI for those at HBCU and PWU were 25.62±6.0 and 24.89 ±5.10, respectively. Based on BMI, 56% of respondents were classified as normal, 25% as overweight, 9% as obese, 7% as extremely obese, and less than 2% as underweight. Thirty-seven percent reported being satisfied/very satisfied with their weight, while 36% said they were somewhat satisfied, and 27% said they were dissatisfied/very dissatisfied with their weight. There were no significant differences by school. The majority (52%) said they thought or worried about their weight everyday or almost everyday. The mean age for attempting a first diet was 16.4 years. Students at the HBCU were significantly more likely than students at the PWU to start their first diet (17.01 vs. 15.45) at a later age (p<.001). Eighty-five percent of all students tried to lose weight in the last 12 months. Most students did not use a specific diet to lose weight (84%) but used sound weight loss practices such as increasing physical activity (88%), reducing fried foods (74%) and, reducing sweets (66%). However, many students (41%) skipped meals and significantly reduced carbohydrates (45%) to lose weight. Implications for weight management will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe obesity status and body satisfaction among African Americans college students
• To identify weight loss strategies used by African Americans college students

Keywords: Weight Management, College Students

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.