Perceptions of parental attitudes toward body and eating: Associations with body image among Black and White college women

This study examined Black and White young women's perceptions of parental body- and eating-related attitudes and behaviors from growing up and the relations of these parental factors with their current body image. Female undergraduates (97 Black women, 179 White women) completed questionnaires of perceptions of parental attitudes/behaviors related to body image and eating and of their current body image, operationalized as weight/shape concern. Results indicated that perceived parental communication was more strongly related to body image than perceived parental modeling in both ethnic groups, and that there were some differences in how frequently Black and White women reported encountering specific maternal messages about the body or eating. Perceived parental modeling and communication constructs were related to body image in similar ways for both ethnic groups after controlling for BMI. Future research directions are discussed.

Research highlights
► Little is known about the relation between parents’ messages regarding body/eating and the body image of Black women.
► Relations between perceived parental modeling and current body image were similar in Black and White women.
► Relations between perceived parental communication and current body image were similar in both ethnic groups after controlling for BMI.
► For both Black and White women, parental communication was more strongly related to body image than parental modeling.