Fat Talk Among Caucasian and African American Women

Differences in fat talk were examined among Caucasian and African American women attending college. Among African American women, the influence of acculturation on women's fat talk engagement was also evaluated. As predicted, there were significant ethnic differences in fat talk with African American women being less likely to engage in fat talk. Total acculturation was found to have no influence on a woman's likelihood of engaging in fat talk. Alternative types of talk are discussed which may serve as substitutes for fat talk among African Americans. Limitations and possible future studies are also presented.