Associations between perceived everyday discrimination, discrimination attributions, and binge eating among Latinas: results from the National Latino and Asian American Study

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to quantify the association between perceived everyday discrimination and binge eating among Latinas in the United States.

Methods: Participants included 1014 Latinas from the 2002-2003 National Latino and Asian American Study. Modified Poisson models with robust standard errors were used to estimate sociodemographic-adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of binge eating associated with overall and attribution-specific discrimination.

Results: Approximately 7% of Latinas reported binge eating. Increased frequency of discrimination was associated with a higher prevalence of binge eating (aPR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.23-2.06), and Latinas reporting frequencies of discrimination in the top tertile had the greatest prevalence elevation (aPR, 3.63; 95% CI, 1.32-10.00). There were important differences by discrimination attribution: Latinas experiencing primarily height/weight-based or skin color-based discrimination had the greatest prevalence elevation relative to those reporting no discrimination (aPR, 10.24; 95% CI, 2.95-35.51; and aPR, 8.83; 95% CI, 2.08-37.54, respectively), whereas Latinas reporting primarily race-based discrimination had the lowest prevalence elevation (aPR, 1.64; 95% CI, 0.47-5.69).

Conclusions: Discrimination may be an important social determinant of Latinas' binge eating. Future research should incorporate expanded conceptual models that account for Latinas' complex social environment, focusing on intersecting dimensions of identity.

Keywords: Feeding and eating disorders; Health status disparity; Latinas; Social discrimination; Weight prejudice.