Women who were very close to their moms had higher body esteem, especially when it came to dealing with weight control or the physical condition of the body, a new study reports. (Leland Bobbe/Getty Images)
Do you proudly strut the curves you share with your mom and possibly your grand mom? If so, you are more likely to have a positive body image reports researcher Eboni Baugh, an assistant professor of child development at East Carolina University.
Working with study sample of more than 100 women, average age 39, drawn from black sororities, Baugh set out to understand the qualities that contributed to black women having a positive body image across the lifespan. The survey specifically measured the women’s body esteem in relationship to their sense of black identity (strong or weak) and their level of positive attachment to their mothers.
Baugh found that women who were very close to their moms had higher body esteem, especially when it came to dealing with weight control or the physical condition of the body, underscoring the importance of strong mother-daughter connections to black women’s overall health and wellbeing.
Identity Matters
Baugh’s study is the first to study this particular relationship in a group of black sorority members, but previous research of African American adolescent girls reported similar findings. The earlier research also emphasized the important role of positive black identity along with healthy family relationships in encouraging a positive body image among young black females.
A study of 78 African American girls found that they were unlikely to consider themselves unattractive because of weight—they thought there was a big difference between “being fat (negative) and being thick (positive).” Nevertheless, the girls did express concern about their appearance in relationship to their skin color and hair.
Together the studies highlight the tremendously powerful role moms can play in making sure their daughters are physically and mentally healthy and happy as children and adults.
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