Vashti Adams, Aliya Gladden, and Jaih Craddock Published in the
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
PhD student Vashti Adams, MSW ’20 alumna Aliya Gladden, and UCI Assistant Professor Jaih Craddock have a new paper published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior that explores young Black women's perceptions of health and the degree to which perceptions align with the weight neutral Health at Every Size (HAES) framework.
Participants (n=41) engaged in individual semi-structured interviews and results were analyzed using principles of inductive thematic analysis. Overall, the young Black women (aged 18-24) conceptualized health as a multidimensional construct influenced by both individual choices and systemic factors. Three of the five core HAES principles (i.e., health enhancement, weight inclusivity, and eating for well-being) were directly reflected in participants' conceptualizations of health, suggesting that health promotion efforts that align with the HAES framework by addressing health holistically, emphasizing behaviors rather than weight status, promoting varied and individual eating patterns, and being considerate of barriers to information and resources may be well received by members of this population.
Adams, V., Gladden, A., Craddock, J. (2022). "Perceptions of health among Black women in emerging adulthood: Alignment with a Health at Every Size perspective. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2022.07.004