Obesity accounts for approximately 6.8% of US health care costs due to its influence on chronic diseases. In addition, estimates of 49% to as high as 61.2% of African American women are overweight compared to 33% among Caucasian American women. The onset of obesity among African American women can be better understood by examining obesity among adolescents. There is no difference in obesity rates between African American and Caucasian girls before pubescence. However, after puberty obesity among African American girls increases with age, with the incidence being highest among 60-69 year olds. More research is needed to examine the process by which changes occur that lead to higher rates of obesity during adolescence. A logistic regression was used to investigate normative and non-normative developmental stressors that may influence the onset of obesity among adolescent females between the age of 15 and 18 years old. African American girls (N=168) in this study were drawn from a sample of 562 students enrolled in the Promotion of Academic Competence (Project PAC), a five year longitudinal study of low income, inner city youth. Preliminary analyses suggest weight gain is associated with normative, but not non-normative life events. Of concern is that coping strategies may include increasing food intake or consuming foods of lower nutritional and higher caloric value during periods of stress.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to: 1) Identify and describe the scales and measurements specifically used to assess stressors among African American, urban, low-income 15 to 18 year old adolescents. 2) Differentiate between normative and non-normative life stressors for African American girls during middle adolescence. 3) Articulate life stressors associated with obesity for African American female adolescents. 4) Discuss comparisons between African American girl's perception of their weight, their assessed weight, and their parent's perception. 5) Discuss possible mechanisms that explain the expression of obesity that occur during adolescence among African American girls
Keywords: Obesity, Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.