Weight, Perceived and Desired Body Size, and Self-Reported Medical Weight Loss Advice in Female Food Stamp Recipients Living in Southeast Louisiana

Abstract

TEXT: Understanding the complex relationship among food insecurity, overweight/obesity, and body image is necessary to design and implement programs that address these problems in low-income individuals. Food security status of 66 female food stamp recipients (94% black) living in Southeast LA was determined using a modified USDA short-form. There was no difference among mean ages of food secure (FS, n 30) 44.03 15.26 years, food insecure (FIS, n 27) 40.26 13.44, or food insecure with hunger (FISH, n 9) 37.67 14.41 groups. Body mass indices (BMI) were calculated; perceived and desired BMIs were determined using a silhouette panel. Actual and perceived BMI of FS, FIS, and FISH women were 34.28 11.56, 28.28 7.59 (p 0.0002); 37.07 13.18, 28.32 7.9 (p 0.00001); and 34.66 10.44, 29.37 4.74 (p 0.05), respectively. The average BMI of all groups was in the obese range. On average, desired BMI was within normal weight range for FS (22.77 3.56), FIS (22.21 3.28), and FISH (23.11 2.77) groups. Women self-reported whether a physician had informed them of their overweight/obese status and if so, had the doctor given weightrelated advice or weight loss medication. In FS, FIS, and FISH groups, 11 (37%), 6 (22%), and 5 (56%) of the overweight/obese subjects, respectively, reported their doctor had never told them they were overweight. In the same groups, 7 (23%), 10 (37%), and 2 (22%) had been told that they had a weight problem, but were not given treatment for weight loss. Although some women recognized they were overweight/ obese, they did not fully understand the advantage of nutrition and exercise in weight loss and health promotion.