Disturbances in the social body - Differences in body image and eating problems among African American and white women

An emerging body of research comparing body image disturbance and eating pr oblems among African American and white women suggests that there are major ethnic differences in these areas. African American woman appear to be mor e satisfied with their weight and appearance than are white women, and they are less likely to engage in unhealthy weight control practices, yet they are more likely to have high rates of obesity. Drawing on both Black and wh ite feminist literature on earing problems, this article advances three arg uments that may account for these differences: (1) Black women may develop a strong positive self-valuation and an alternative beauty aesthetic to res ist societal stigmatization, (2) Black women may be less likely to acquire eating disorders due to differences in the cultural construction of feminin ity in Black communities, and (3) positive body image among Black women may sometimes reflect a defensive need to deny health problems such as compuls ive overeating and obesity.