Ninth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

In the U.S., overweight and obesity prevalence is highest among “Blacks” (African-Americans). Messages designed to target African-Americans rarely indicate acknowledgement of differences among the various cultures that comprise this segment of the population. Incorporating cultural sensitivity in message designs can produce more effective messages, which can then reduce waste in health campaign resources and better address obesity-related diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes. This study utilized social cognitive theory to compare two sub-groups (African-American and Afro-Caribbean immigrant women) within the African-American segment of the population to identify any indicators that may justify cultural segmentation of obesity-related health message designs. There were more differences than similarities between African-American and Afro-Caribbean women. Both groups were concerned about their health and said they thought lifestyle affected health outcomes. Differences between the groups included positive versus negative attitudes toward food and physical activity modeled in their childhood, the social environment (current versus childhood) that influenced them toward healthier lifestyles, and, their definition of ideal body size as larger versus smaller. The study revealed that culturally, there were more differences than similarities between the African-American and Afro-Caribbean participants, thus suggesting some rationale for considering cultural segmentation of obesity-related health messages targeted toward the population segment currently referred to as “African-Americans” (Blacks). There were also some similarities, which may be used as the basis for designing undifferentiated messages for members of both groups.