Acculturation and disordered eating patterns among Mexican American women

Abstract

Objective This quantitative study examined the relationship between acculturation and disordered eating patterns among different generations of Mexican American women. Method Participants included 139 Mexican American women (mean age = 29.1) drawn from local undergraduate courses and community agencies. The posttest-only design included a demographic measure, Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans (ARSMA), and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). Results Of the five generations studied, second-generation women endorsed the most disordered eating patterns and the highest degrees of concurrent acculturation. Moreover, there was a significant, positive correlation between acculturation and Factor III of the EAT which highlights control of eating and perceived pressure from others to gain weight. Participants scoring beyond the EAT cut-off score endorsed bulimic symptoms. Discussion Differing intergenerational ideals regarding weight may create special strains for second-generation Mexican American women. Criteria for disordered eating in a population previously not considered at risk should be further assessed and clinicians should be careful not to underdiagnose among this group. © 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 28: 125–129, 2000.