Darneice Floyd |
Name: Darneice Floyd
School: The University of Mississippi Major: Dietetics & Nutrition Mentor: Dr. Kathy Knight Expected Graduation Date: May 2009 Organizations & Honors:
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ABSTRACT
Food Practices, Food Beliefs and Physical Activity Levels Among African American Women Who attend Historically Black Colleges & Universities & Predominantly White Institutions
| African American women are at an increased risk of contracting cardiovascular disease, which is currently the leading cause of death for Black women. In this study, the food practices, physical activity levels, and food beliefs among African American women at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were researched in order to find differences that may indicate any underlying factors in the development of the disease. The participants in this study were fifty 18-24 year old African American females, twenty-five that attend a PWI and twenty-five that attend a HBCU. Through a survey, participants’ dietary intakes, height, weight, socioeconomic data, and adult and adolescent food-related behavior and physical activity were recorded and analyzed to determine if there is a difference in the food beliefs, food attitudes, and physical activity levels between African American women attending PWIs and HBCUs. |
| This research reinforces that the Popkin et al. (1996) study was correct. African Americans do not eat diets that are high in fruit, vegetables and whole grains. This was true at both the HBCU and PWI in that there was not a significant difference in the average number of servings of food groups between the two groups of students. This study also showed that parent’s educational level played a role in how parents modeled food choices for their children. This was evidenced in that the African American students from HBCUs who had parents with the higher educational levels, also had the healthier BMIs. Although not significant, these findings exhibited slightly more support for physical activity in the HBCU family, which is to be expected due to their higher education levels. However this study also surprisingly showed higher levels of physical activity at the PWI. |