African American Women and Weight Loss

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Mastin ◽  
Shelly Campo ◽  
Natoshia M. Askelson
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
African American ◽  
Social Cognitive Theory ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
American Women

In the United States, almost 80% of African American women are either overweight or obese. In this study, 46 low-income African American women struggling with weight issues participated in structured interviews using a social cognitive theory framework. Participants shared their social cognitive theory related weight loss thoughts and their perceived weight loss obstacles. Results suggest that although participants’ primary weight-related obstacles were environment-based, for example, unsafe environments in which to engage in regular exercise, they more often offered individual-based solutions. The study concludes with a discussion of media advocacy as a tool that can be used to promote environmental solutions.

Using Social Cognitive Theory to Predict Breastfeeding in African-American Women

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adryan Eastin ◽  
Manoj Sharma
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Social Cognitive Theory ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Breastfeeding Initiation ◽  
American Women ◽  
Breast Feed

The purpose of this study was to apply social cognitive theory (SCT) to predict breastfeeding initiation and duration in African-American women in a community sample. A total of 238 African-American women completed a 50-item valid and reliable questionnaire assessing their knowledge, expectations, self-efficacy, self-efficacy in overcoming barriers and self-control in initiation and duration of breastfeeding. Regression results indicated that self-efficacy for initiation and self-efficacy in overcoming barriers for initiation were significant predictors for initiation of breastfeeding in African-American women. Logistic regression revealed that self-efficacy to breast feed for more than six months and self-control for duration were significant predictors.

Overcoming Obesity: A Mixed Methods Study of the Impact of Primary Care Physician Counseling on Low-Income African American Women Who Successfully Lost Weight

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 374-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Seaton Banerjee ◽  
Sharon J. Herring ◽  
Katelyn E. Hurley ◽  
Katherine Puskarz ◽  
Kyle Yebernetsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
African American ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Positive Deviance ◽  
American Women ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: Low-income, African American women are disproportionately impacted by obesity. Little is known about the interactions between low-income, African American women who successfully lost weight and their primary care physicians (PCPs). Design: Mixed methods, positive deviance study. Setting: Urban university-based family medicine practice. Participants: The positive deviance group comprised low-income, African American women who were obese, lost 10% body weight, and maintained this loss for 6 months. Measures: The PCP- and patient-reported weight-related variables collected through the electronic medical record (EMR), surveys, and interviews. Analysis: Logistic regression of quantitative variables. Qualitative analysis using modified grounded theory. Results: The EMR documentation by PCPs of dietary counseling and a weight-related medical problem were significant predictors of positive deviant group membership. Qualitative analyses of interviews revealed 5 major themes: framing obesity in the context of other health problems provided motivation; having a full discussion around weight management was important; an ongoing relationship with the physician was valuable; celebrating small successes was beneficial; and advice was helpful but self-motivation was necessary. Conclusion: The PCP counseling may be an important factor in promoting weight loss in low-income, African American women. Patients may benefit from their PCPs drawing connections between obesity and weight-related medical conditions and enhancing intrinsic motivation for weight loss.

scholarly journals Determinants of Successful Weight Loss in Low-Income African American Women: A Positive Deviance Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 215013271879213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Seaton Banerjee ◽  
Sharon J. Herring ◽  
Katelyn Hurley ◽  
Katherine Puskarz ◽  
Kyle Yebernetsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Positive Deviance ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
American Women ◽  
Successful Weight Loss

Objective: We set out to investigate the behaviors of low-income African American women who successfully lost weight. Methods: From an urban, academic, family medicine practice, we used a mixed methods positive deviance approach to evaluate 35 low-income African American women who were obese and lost at least 10% of their maximum weight, and maintained this loss for 6 months, comparing them with 36 demographically similar control participants who had not lost weight. Survey outcomes included demographics and behaviors that were hypothesized to be related to successful weight loss. Interviews focused on motivations, barriers, and what made weight loss successful. Survey data were analyzed using t tests and linear regression for continuous outcomes and chi-square tests and logistic regression for categorical outcomes. Interviews were analyzed using a modified approach to grounded theory. Results: In adjusted analyses, women in the positive deviant group were more likely to be making diet changes compared with those women who did not lose at least 10% of their initial body weight. Major themes from qualitative analyses included ( a) motivations (of health, appearance, quality of life, family, and epiphanies), ( b) opportunity (including time and support), ( c) adaptability. Conclusions: The findings of this study may be useful in developing motivational interviewing strategies for primary care providers working with similar high-risk populations.

scholarly journals Results of a Culturally Tailored Smartphone-Delivered Physical Activity Intervention Among Midlife African American Women: Feasibility Trial

10.2196/27383 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e27383
Author(s):  
Rodney P Joseph ◽  
Barbara E Ainsworth ◽  
Kevin Hollingshead ◽  
Michael Todd ◽  
Colleen Keller
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Feasibility Trial ◽  
Satisfaction Survey ◽  
American Women ◽  
Culturally Tailored

Background Regular aerobic physical activity (PA) is an important component of healthy aging. However, only 27%-40% of African American women achieve national PA guidelines. Available data also show a clear decline in PA as African American women transition from young adulthood (ie, 25-44 years) into midlife. This decline in PA during midlife coincides with an increased risk for African American women developing cardiometabolic disease conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Thus, effective efforts are needed to promote PA among sedentary African American women during midlife. Objective This study aims to examine the acceptability and feasibility of a culturally tailored, smartphone-delivered PA intervention, originally developed to increase PA among African American women aged 24-49 years, among a slightly older sample of midlife African American women aged 50-65 years. Methods A single-arm pretest-posttest study design was implemented. In total, 20 insufficiently active African American (ie, ≤60 min per week of PA) women between the ages of 50-65 years participated in the 4-month feasibility trial. The Smart Walk intervention was delivered through the study Smart Walk smartphone app and text messages. Features available on the Smart Walk app include personal profile pages, multimedia PA promotion modules, discussion board forums, and an activity tracking feature that integrates with Fitbit activity monitors. Self-reported PA and social cognitive theory mediators targeted by the intervention (ie, self-regulation, behavioral capability, outcome expectations, self-efficacy, and social support) were assessed at baseline and at 4 months. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed using a postintervention satisfaction survey that included multiple-choice and open-ended questions evaluating participant perceptions of the intervention and suggestions for intervention improvement. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to examine pre- and postintervention changes in the PA and social cognitive theory variables. The effect size estimates were calculated using the Pearson r test statistic. Results Participants increased moderate-to-vigorous PA (median 30 minutes per week increase; r=0.503; P=.002) and reported improvements in 2 theoretical mediators (self-regulation: r=0.397; P=.01; behavioral capability: r=0.440; P=.006). Nearly all participants (14/15, 93% completing the satisfaction survey) indicated that they would recommend the intervention to a friend. Participants’ suggestions for improving the intervention included enhancing the intervention’s provisions of social support for PA. Conclusions The results provide preliminary support for the feasibility of the smartphone-based approach to increase PA among midlife African American women. However, before larger-scale implementation among midlife African American women, enhancements to the social support components of the intervention are warranted. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04073355; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04073355

African American Women’s Marital Attitudes: A Qualitative Study on Never Married Women

2021 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2110355
Author(s):  
Kendra P. DeLoach McCutcheon ◽  
Karen Y. Watkins ◽  
Eboni V. Burton ◽  
Arlaina C. Harris
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
The United States ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Marital Attitudes ◽  
American Women ◽  
Never Married ◽  
Marriage Rates ◽  
The Past ◽  
Attitudes Toward Marriage

Over the past few decades, marriage rates in the United States among African Americans continue to decline, yet African American women continue to express a desire to be married. Using a grounded theory qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews ( N = 23), we explored marital attitudes among never married African American women. Participants identified both negative and positive exposures to marriage during childhood and messaging from family and faith communities as major sources influencing their desire to marry. Other themes, such as respectability and child behavioral benefits emerged that influenced women’s attitudes toward marriage. We present a discussion of the findings, limitations of this study, and next steps in the research.

scholarly journals Weight Loss Maintenance in African American Women: A Systematic Review of the Behavioral Lifestyle Intervention Literature

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Tussing-Humphreys ◽  
Marian L. Fitzgibbon ◽  
Angela Kong ◽  
Angela Odoms-Young
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Lifestyle Intervention ◽  
Maintenance Phase ◽  
Weight Loss Maintenance ◽  
The United States ◽  
American Women ◽  
Maintenance Intervention

We performed a systematic review of the behavioral lifestyle intervention trials conducted in the United States published between 1990 and 2011 that included a maintenance phase of at least six months, to identify intervention features that promote weight loss maintenance in African American women. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. Generally, African American women lost less weight during the intensive weight loss phase and maintained a lower % of their weight loss compared to Caucasian women. The majority of studies failed to describe the specific strategies used in the delivery of the maintenance intervention, adherence to those strategies, and did not incorporate a maintenance phase process evaluation making it difficult to identify intervention characteristics associated with better weight loss maintenance. However, the inclusion of cultural adaptations, particularly in studies with a mixed ethnicity/race sample, resulted in less % weight regain for African American women. Studies with a formal maintenance intervention and weight management as the primary intervention focus reported more positive weight maintenance outcomes for African American women. Nonetheless, our results present both the difficulty in weight loss and maintenance experienced by African American women in behavioral lifestyle interventions.

scholarly journals “We get double slammed!”: Healthcare experiences of perceived discrimination among low-income African-American women

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 174550652095334
Author(s):  
Olihe N Okoro ◽  
Lisa A Hillman ◽  
Alina Cernasev
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
African American ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Perceived Discrimination ◽  
The United States ◽  
American Women ◽  
Healthcare Needs

Background: On account of their racial/ethnic minority status, class, and gender, African-American women of low socioeconomic status are among the least privileged, underserved, and most marginalized groups in the United States. Generally, African Americans continue to experience poorer health outcomes, in which disparities have been attributed to socioeconomic inequities and structural racism. This objective of this study was to explore the lived experiences of low-income African-American women in interacting with the healthcare system and healthcare providers. Methods: Twenty-two in-depth one-on-one interviews were conducted with low-income African-American women. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim. An inductive content analysis was performed, using an analytical software, Dedoose® to enabled hierarchical coding. Codes were grouped into categories which were further analyzed for similarities that led to the emergence of themes. Results: A key finding was the experience of discriminatory treatment. The three themes that emerged relevant to this category were (1) perceived discrimination based on race/ethnicity, (2) perceived discrimination based on socioeconomic status, and (3) stereotypical assumptions such as drug-seeking and having sexually transmitted diseases. Conclusion and Recommendations: Low-income African-American women experience less than satisfactory patient care, where participants attribute to their experience of being stereotyped and their perception of discrimination in the healthcare system and from providers. Patients’ experiences within the healthcare system have implications for their healthcare-seeking behaviors and treatment outcomes. Healthcare personnel and providers need to be more aware of the potential for implicit bias toward this population. Healthcare workforce training on culturally responsive patient care approaches and more community engagement will help providers better understand the context of patients from this population and more effectively meet their healthcare needs.

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