摘要：Focus groups stratified by race and socioeconomic status were used to examine obese women’s experiences with weight-loss methods. Six themes emerged: failure of weight maintenance, use of psychological and spiritual approaches, role of family influences and societal expectations, role of African American subculture, method affordability, and racial differences in weight-loss methods. Tailored weight-management interventions for women, particularly African Americans and those of low socioeconomic status, should account for features of African American subculture and address affordability concerns, include maintenance strategies that incorporate psychological and spiritual principles, and target family attitudes and behaviors. The disproportionate obesity burden among African American and poor women is well documented, yet weight management has been particularly challenging in these high-risk populations. 1 – 4 African American women are less likely to participate in weight-loss programs and are less likely to have weight-loss success. 5 – 10 Likewise, poor women appear to be less motivated toward weight management. 9 , 11 , 12 To help design effective weight-loss interventions, we explored racial and socioeconomic factors influencing obese women’s weight-management practices.
