Body figure preference in South African adolescent females: a cross cultural study.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders have traditionally been associated with the white community in South Africa. The emergence of eating disorders among blacks in the mid 1990's appeared to signal a demographic shift. Subsequent data suggested that eating disorders would increase in prevalence amongst black South Africans. OBJECTIVE: The current study sought to explore body figure preference in a cross cultural South African sample, given the established relationship between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. METHODS: The sample comprised a community based, multi-racial adolescent population in both urban (n=1353) and rural (n=361) areas. The Body Figure Preference Test [BFPT] was administered. RESULTS: Most urban respondents had a desire to be smaller (white=72%; black=61%), whereas rural black respondents were more evenly divided amongst those who were content (31%), desiring to be larger (29%) and desiring to be smaller (40%) [Chi square value=105.309, df=4, p=0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study demonstrate that racial homogenization exists regarding body figure preference within the urban setting. Data from the rural area suggests milieu specific factors in this regard with fewer respondents desiring to be smaller. This may have implications for the emergence of eating disorders in black South African populations, more specifically those in urban areas.

Race and psychiatric services in post-apartheid South Africa: a preliminary study of psychiatrists' perceptions.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to examine the perception of the quality of psychiatric services five years after apartheid, and specifically whether care for black patients had improved. DESIGN: A survey was distributed to South African psychiatrists during a national congress and by mail. The questionnaire focused on the quality of psychiatric care in general, for black and white patients, the racial composition of each respondent's psychiatric practice currently, and the racial composition of the psychiatric practice during apartheid. RESULTS: Psychiatric services in South Africa were viewed as deteriorating. The end of apartheid has done little to improve the quality of psychiatric care for both black and white patients. Although less pronounced, racial inequality in psychiatric care continues to exist. Psychiatric practices continue to be overrepresented with white patients. CONCLUSION: There remains a differential in quality of psychiatric care and further monitoring should continue. Continued efforts to improve racial equality and the need for greater awareness of cultural issues need to be addressed. Limitations of this study included possible social desirability bias, use of subjective rather than objective measures, and a survey that was limited in scope.

A cross-cultural study of eating attitudes in adolescent South African females.

Eating disorders were first described in black females in South Africa in 1995. A subsequent community based study of eating attitudes amongst adolescent females in an urban setting suggested that there would be increasing numbers of sufferers from within the black community. The current study sought to extend these findings using a larger, more representative urban sample. The results support those of the preliminary study. The underlying basis for the emerging phenomenon is discussed.

Application of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) in a rural, Zulu speaking, adolescent population in South Africa.

This study was undertaken as part of an exploration of the potential risk for future eating disorders in the black female population of South Africa. Previous research has documented eating attitudes suggesting that such a risk exists in urban populations. A translated version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was applied in a Zulu speaking, rural population (n=361). A prevalence of 3% for abnormal eating attitudes was established. In keeping with the hypothesis, the findings suggest that the risk for developing an eating disorder in a rural population is somewhat lower. In this regard, there does appear to be an urban-rural divide, which may have implications for the prevention of the emergence of eating disorders in black, South African adolescents. However, the validity of the EAT-26 in this population is a consideration in interpreting the data.