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Black and white adolescent males' perceptions of ideal body size

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Abstract

A stratified random sample of 496 white (n =337) and black (n =159) adolescent males participated in a survey of ideal body size beliefs. Responses to the questionnaire and a series of nine female and male body size drawings were analyzed using the General Linear Model Analysis of Variance and Categorical Modeling. Using SES and race as independent variables and BMI (kg/m 2)as a covariate, black males were found to prefer a significantly heavier ideal female body size than whites (p <.0001) and also perceived that their parents, female friends, and male friends would select as ideal a significantly heavier female body size than white subjects. Black subjects were 1.9 times (O.R. = 1.88, 95% C.I. = 1.44, 2.47) more likely to select a larger ideal female hip/buttocks size and 1.7 times (O.R. = 1.72, 95% C.I. = 1.25, 2.37) more likely to choose a larger ideal female thigh size than white subjects. Our findings seem to point toward a greater approval and social acceptance of a larger body size for black females by black males.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Coastal Carolina University, USA

    Sharon H. Thompson

  2. School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 29208, Columbia, SC, USA

    Roger G. Sargent

  3. Clemson University, USA

    Karen A. Kemper

Authors
  1. Sharon H. Thompson
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  2. Roger G. Sargent
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  3. Karen A. Kemper
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Additional information

This study was conducted by the University of South Carolina School of Public Health and funded in part by ASPH-CDC Cooperative Agreement, Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia.

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Thompson, S.H., Sargent, R.G. & Kemper, K.A. Black and white adolescent males' perceptions of ideal body size. Sex Roles 34, 391–406 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01547808

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