Department of Health Science Education, Florida Gym,University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-2034, USA.
J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012 May;112(5):664-70. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2012.02.003. Epub 2012 Apr 25.
African-American women have the highest prevalence of adult obesity in the United States. They are less likely to participate in weight-loss programs and tend to have a low success rate when they do so. The goal of this project was to explore the use of the Health Belief Model in developing culturally appropriate weight-management programs for African-American women. Seven focus groups were conducted with 50 African-American women. The Health Belief Model was used as the study's theoretical framework. Participants made a clear delineation between the terms healthy weight, overweight, and obese. Sexy, flirtatious words, such as thick, stacked, and curvy were often used to describe their extra weight. Participants accurately described the health risks of obesity. Most believed that culture and genetics made them more susceptible to obesity. The perceived benefits of losing weight included reduced risk for health problems, improved physical appearance, and living life to the fullest. Perceived barriers included a lack of motivation, reliable dieting information, and social support. Motivators to lose weight included being diagnosed with a health problem, physical appearance, and saving money on clothes. Self-efficacy was primarily affected by a frustrated history of dieting. The data themes suggest areas that should be addressed when developing culturally appropriate weight-loss messages, programs, and materials for African-American women.
美国非裔美国女性的成年肥胖患病率最高。她们参与减肥计划的可能性较低，而且当她们参与时，成功率往往也较低。本项目的目标是探索使用健康信念模型为非裔美国女性制定文化上适宜的体重管理计划。我们进行了七次焦点小组讨论，参与者为 50 名非裔美国女性。健康信念模型被用作该研究的理论框架。参与者明确区分了健康体重、超重和肥胖这三个术语。性感、挑逗性的词汇，如“厚实”、“堆积”和“曲线”，常被用来形容她们多余的体重。参与者准确描述了肥胖带来的健康风险。大多数人认为文化和遗传使他们更容易肥胖。减肥的好处包括降低健康问题的风险、改善外貌和充分享受生活。被认为的障碍包括缺乏动力、可靠的节食信息和社会支持。减肥的动机包括被诊断出患有健康问题、外貌和节省买衣服的钱。自我效能主要受到减肥失败经历的影响。这些数据主题表明，在为非裔美国女性制定文化上适宜的减肥信息、计划和材料时，应考虑解决这些问题。
