Abstract
Objective
To explore the health perceptions of Black women in emerging adulthood and the degree
to which perceptions align with core Health at Every Size (HAES) principles.
Design
Semistructured interviews with Black women in emerging adulthood. Data were collected
between June and July 2018 as part of a larger, mixed-methods study.
Setting
Southern California.
Participants
Forty-one Black women aged 18–24 years were recruited via a combination of convenience
and respondent-drive sampling.
Phenomenon of Interest
Health perceptions of young Black women and alignment with core HAES principles.
Analysis
Data were analyzed using principles of inductive thematic analysis. Following analysis,
data were further interpreted within the HAES framework.
Results
Participants’ insights resulted in 3 main themes: (1) health is multidimensional,
(2) good health means taking care of yourself, and (3) systemic and environmental
disparities affect Black women's health. These themes reflect 3 HAES principles of
health enhancement, weight inclusivity, and eating for well-being.
Conclusions and Implications
Findings provide preliminary support for aligning HAES principles and perceptions
and health for Black women in emerging adulthood. Prioritizing holistic well-being,
attention to individualized health needs and access to needed information and resources
in efforts to improve health outcomes among members of this demographic may be promising.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 30, 2022
Accepted:
July 17,
2022
Footnotes
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors have not stated any conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ScienceDirect
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- Making sure to keep the person in personalized nutritionJournal of Nutrition Education and BehaviorVol. 54Issue 10
- PreviewPersonalized nutrition focuses on the concept that individuals may respond very differently to foods and may require different dietary patterns to achieve the best health. Personalized or precision nutrition falls under the umbrella of personalized medicine, a medical model that calls for medical practices, interventions, and products to be customized to the individual based on their risk of disease. Personalized medicine relies upon an individual's genetic profile to identify the most appropriate path forward for disease prevention and treatment.
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