Impact of Social, Behavioral and Environmental Factors on Overweight and Obesity among African American Women in Mississippi

Background: Obesity, in Mississippi, adds to the growing global epidemic for which an international drive has been initiated to reduce the human and socioeconomic costs of obesity. African American women in Mississippi have higher rates of obesity compared to any other subgroup.

Objective: To identify the social, behavioral and environmental factors associated with the proliferation of obesity among African American women between the ages of 25 and 34 in Mississippi.

Methods: A researcher-designed instrument consisting of 43 questions was administered to 300 African American women from Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties in Mississippi. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 15.0.

Results: Study findings revealed identifiable causes that may contribute to the increase in body mass index (BMI) among African American women. These causes included lack of knowledge about BMI (paired t test=16.074; p=.000), dietary behavior (÷2=12.867; p=.000), physical activity (÷2=6.681; p=.010), and lack of social support (motivation and encouragement by friends) (÷2= 4.182; p= 0.041). All of these variables demonstrated a statistically significant inverse relationship to BMI. Interestingly, no statistically significant relationship was found between BMI and environmental factors such as the presence of sidewalks, walking trails, and workout facilities among the women in this study.

Conclusion: New initiatives must be incorporated to supercede the psychological obstacles that interfere with changing behaviors that are associated with food consumption and exercise habits. Effective systematic programs, coupled with a broad spectrum of approaches, are necessary components of interventions and regulatory policies that address the reduction of obesity rates throughout the nation.