Facets of acculturation and their diverse relations to body shape concern in Fiji

✍ Scribed by Becker, Anne E. ;Fay, Kristen ;Gilman, Stephen E. ;Striegel-Moore, Ruth

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 127 KB
• Volume: 40
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/eat.20332

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Objective:

The present study examines the relation between acculturation and body shape concern in Fiji—a society undergoing rapid social change.

Method:

Data were from two cohorts of ethnic Fijian girls and women collected in 1998 (n = 115). A factor analysis was performed to identify dimensions of acculturation. The association of these with body shape concern was examined with linear regression.

Results:

Three dimensions of acculturation were identified. Multiple linear regression models demonstrated that each of these dimensions of acculturation had a unique relation to body shape concern. The adjusted R^2^ for the fully adjusted model relating acculturation to body concern was 0.63, indicating a substantial degree of shared variation between measures of body shape concern and measures of acculturation.

Conclusion:

Acculturation may have a strong impact on body shape concern in Fiji. However, acculturation is a multidimensional construct and does not likely have a monolithic relation to body shape concern. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2006