Low self-esteem that stems from negative racial and ethnic stereotypes may contribute to the expanding waistlines of U.S. minorities, a recent study said.
Hispanics who associated themselves with stereotypes, such as being “lazy,” were nearly four times more likely to be overweight or obese compared to Hispanics who did not relate to those stereotypes, according to a study published online in June in the Journal of Social Issues.
“From a psychological perspective, self-esteem is very important because literature shows people with low self-esteem have difficulty engaging in motivated health behavior that promotes good physical health,” said study co-author Luis Rivera, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey.
The lack of motivation could be a contributing factor to obesity disparities in the U.S. The obesity rate in the U.S. is about 43 percent for Hispanics and about 48 percent for blacks, compared to nearly 33 percent for whites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Researchers looked at 108 people — 62 Hispanics and 46 whites — who completed a self-evaluation on 14 characteristics. Half of the characteristics were negative stereotypes about Hispanics such as being “violent” or “lazy” while the other half listed positive qualities such as being “ambitious” and “peaceful.” Participants were asked to a scale from one to six on how little or much they identified with each characteristic. Researchers also recorded each participant’s body mass index.
The results showed Hispanic participants chose to identify more with the negative stereotypes compared to white participants. Additionally, 53 percent of the Hispanic participants were more likely to be overweight and obese compared to 36 percent of whites, the study said. Those who identified with the stereotypes were 3.78 times more likely to be overweight or obese, the study said.
Helping people affected by stereotypes overcome them can help guide them to making healthier life choices, Rivera said. Reminding a person of what characteristics make her or him valuable may help protect against stereotypes that may lower self-esteem, he said.
For more information, visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/josi.12057/abstract.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association
