Weight Preoccupation in Female Mexican American Adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of body size, self-esteem, age, mainstream acculturation, and athletic status to concern or preoccupation about weight among an understudied population, female Mexican American adolescents. Subjects (N=558) ranged in age from 14 to 18 years and were drawn from four senior high schools located in the Lower Rio Grande Valley region of Texas. Data were gathered through a self-report survey instrument dealing with investigated variables and anthropometric measures to assess body size. Results indicated that subjects' acculturation to the U.S. maintream was low; body fatness levels were high; self-esteem was moderate; and, with the exception of percentage body fat, there were no variable differences between athletes and nonathletes. Greater body size and self-esteem emerged as the strongest predictors of weight preoccupation. Implications of these findings and suggestions for interventions are discussed.