Dieting Behavior of Asian College Women Attending a US University

Abstract

Dieting behavior, body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, and food intake of 73 Asian women attending a US university were investigated and compared retrospectively with attitudes of 247 US-born female students at the same university. The Asian women reported restrained eating and body dissatisfaction only about half as often as the US women did. In both the Asian and US college women, body dissatisfaction scores were significantly correlated to body mass index and self-esteem scores. Fourteen percent of the Asian women in the restrained eating/body dissatisfied group, and 40% of the US students in that group reported intentional vomiting for weight control. Some of the Asian international students practiced undesirable dieting behaviors and reported body dissatisfaction levels similar to those of many US college women. College health professionals should recognize that disordered eating among Asian women must not be overlooked because of stereotypical perceptions about Asian women's body size and type.