Objective: Overweight and obesity are associated with heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Excessive calorie consumption and/or inadequate physical activity contribute to the development of overweight and obesity. African-American women are comparatively more sedentary than their White counterparts, have a less positive attitude about engaging in weight loss activities or maintaining weight, and often engage in lifestyles that predispose them to excess weight gain. The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot describing the relationship between psychological factors of self-concept, self-efficacy, and stress as they influence dietary and exercise habits associated with the development of obesity in African-American women.
Design: Correlational design.
Population: African-American women in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Sample: African-American women (n=35) 21 to 68 years of age.
Setting: Subjects were recruited from a cardiovascular diagnostic testing center, a community-based neighborhood center, and from an African-American women’s organization.
Concept Framework: Social cognitive theory was utilized to predict and explain personal, behavioral, and environmental influences on health behavior. Self-efficacy is considered one of the most important precursors to behavioral change, because it reflects how much effort an individual will invest in her performance to achieve attained goals.
Methods: The investigator distributed self-administered questionnaires to subjects measuring self-efficacy to diet and exercise, self-concept, and perceived stress.
Findings/Conclusions: Results are pending analyses. However, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) would be used to analyze the relationships between self-concept, self-efficacy to diet and exercise, and stress among the sites. A larger study is proposed examining psychological factors as predictive barriers to reducing cardiovascular risk and obesity in African-American women.
Implications: Knowledge of individual perceptions, beliefs, and perceived barriers about weight, exercise, and diet management can impact cardiovascular risk reduction behaviors. Furthermore, findings may assist in the development of health education programs tailored for African-American women.
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