Examining Race and Gender Differences in Associations Among Body Appreciation, Eudaimonic Psychological Well-Being, and Intuitive Eating and Exercising. Issue 1 (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Romano, Kelly A.; Heron, Kristin E.
• Is Part Of: American journal of health promotion. Volume 36:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 117
• Page End: 128
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: intuitive eating -- intuitive exercising -- positive psychology -- psychological well-being -- race -- gender; Health promotion -- Periodicals; Health Promotion; Health promotion; Periodicals; Periodicals; 613.05
• DOI: 10.1177/08901171211036910
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0890-1171

Abstract

Purpose: The present study examined race and gender differences among positive psychological constructs, and adaptive eating and exercise behaviors. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Online. Sample: College students ( N = 1, 228; Mage = 22.27, SD = 5.83). Measures: Participants completed measures assessing positive body image, eudaimonic psychological well-being, and health behaviors. Analyses: Multi-group structural equation modeling was used to examine whether White versus Black race and, separately, woman versus man gender identity moderated associations among body appreciation, eudaimonic psychological well-being, and intuitive eating and intuitive exercising. Results: Results generally indicated that greater body appreciation was associated with greater eudaimonic psychological well-being (βs = 0.48, 0.56) and, in turn, intuitive eating (βs = −0.20, 0.25) and intuitive exercising (βs = −0.06, 0.23). However, notable variations in this pattern of results were identified based on the facet of intuitive eating and exercising under investigation, and participants' racial identities. For example, greater eudaimonic psychological well-being strictly mediated a positive association between body appreciation and reliance on hunger and satiety cues intuitive eating behaviors among participants who identified as Black (95%CI: 0.01, 0.12), but not White (95%CI: −0.08, 0.04). Conclusions: Although the present findings warrant replication using longitudinal designs due to the cross-sectional nature of the present study, these findings suggest that increasing adults' eudaimonic psychological well-being may help improve health-promoting eating and exercise behaviors, and should be assessed as a mechanism of change in future clinical research.