EATING BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES TO WEIGHT AND SHAPE IN BRITISH WOMEN FROM 3 ETHNIC-GROUPS

Attitudes towards eating, weight and shape were examined in 479 Caucasian, Afro-Caribbean and Asian British women. The Asian women were found to have significantly more disordered eating attitudes than the Caucasian women, but no differences was found between the three groups in their concern with their body weight and shape. However, while in the Caucasian group disordered eating attitudes were significantly positively correlated with feelings on anxiety and depression, this was not true in the other two groups. Although the concerns of Britsh Afro-Caribbean and Asian women are similar to those of the Caucasian women, there may be ethnic differences in the relationship between feelings about eating, weight and shape and mood.