Effects of Body Image Dissatisfaction and Social Support on Risk for Developing Obesity in African American Adolescents

During the past three decades, the United States has experienced a drastic increase in the prevalence of youth obesity. Cultural norms of body image (BI) suggest African American adolescents may accept a greater body size ideal compared to their non-minority peers and that these perceptions may be an obstacle for maintaining a healthy body weight. Parental and peer influences play a significant role in the development of adolescent health behaviors. However, few studies have examined how BI dissatisfaction and social support for healthy behaviors from both parents and peers jointly impact minority adolescents’ age and sex-standardized body mass index (zBMI). The purpose of this study was to explore how BI dissatisfaction and social support for healthy behaviors (diet and physical activity) would impact zBMI in underserved adolescents (low-income, ethnic minorities). Forty-five African American Adolescents (23 girls, 22 boys; mean age= 12.64 years, 29% obese) from two high crime communities in South Carolina completed baseline measures (objective height and weight and psychosocial surveys). Hierarchical regression models demonstrated that greater BI dissatisfaction was a significant predictor of higher adolescent zBMI. Unexpectedly, greater perceptions of social support for diet from both parents and peers also predicted higher adolescent zBMI. Results from this study showed that BI dissatisfaction and positive social support related to diet predicted higher zBMI in underserved adolescents.Increasing understanding of mechanisms related to enhancing BI and social support from parents and peers for diet and physical activity may be important in developing future prevention programs for underserved adolescents.