Weight and See

Perceptions of body weight can play a role in the motivation to eat; from the perceptual distortions seen in anorexic patients, to the inexplicable way clothes seem to shrink at the waist, to the hesitancy to have one more doughnut as we look in the mirror. A recent study suggests, however, that culture may play a role in one's perceptions of weight and body image.

Researchers at the University of Arizona asked African-American and white teenage girls to describe their version of an "ideal" girl. The white teens suggested someone blue-eyed, five feet seven inches tall, weighing between 100 and 110 pounds; in short, Barbie. The Black teens, in contrast, emphasized personal characteristics such as a sense of style, a nice personality, or having a good head on one's shoulders. When pressed for a physical description, most responded that fuller hips, large thighs, and a small waist were desirable.

The researchers also found that close to 90 percent of the white teens were dissatisfied with their weight, whereas 70 percent of the Black respondents were satisfied. In the case of the white teens, having weight as so central an aspect of their self-views may promote increased social stress and unrealistic expectations about achieving some "body ideal." The African-American women, though satisfied with their bodies, may not be concerned enough about their weight, given their heightened risk of hypertension as adults. In either case, perceptions of one's body image are clearly influenced by personal, social, and cultural standards that may vary from one subculture to another.

Staff (1994, September/October). White weight. Psychology Today, p. 9.