Functional limitations, body perceptions, and health outcomes among older African American women.

• DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000106
• Publication Date: 2016-05-24T13:11:12Z
• Authors: Natalie Sabik; H. Shellae Versey
• Keywords: PsycINFO

African American women experience greater difficulties in physical function and disproportionately higher rates of obesity compared to other racial-ethnic gender groups; however, positive body perceptions may buffer against negative psychological health-related outcomes associated with functional decline.Associations among satisfaction importance placed on shape function, mass index (BMI), general health, pain, emotional well-being were assessed an urban-dwelling, community-based sample ages 65 older (n = 111).Higher BMI was worse health lower function. Body moderated the association between 2 health-relevant outcomes: pain well-being. Women who functioning well reported high demonstrated lowest levels highest well-being, low had pain.These findings provide evidence that there is significant variation risk for outcomes, particularly varying functionality satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record