The Body Esteem of Hmong and Caucasian Young Adults

This study investigated race and gender differences among 73 Hmong American and 80 Caucasian American college students. Racial differences were found only among the women, with Hmong women holding more positive attitudes toward weight concern body items and expressing less interest in changing these body items than Caucasian women. There were no gender differences among the Hmong, and the gender differences among Caucasians involved weight concern. Increased body mass was correlated with negative body attitudes among Caucasian and Hmong women and among Hmong men, whereas increased body mass was correlated with positive upper-body attitudes among Caucasian men.