Multiculturalism leads to a multiplicity of messages

In certain cultures women with larger bodies are regarded favorably, while in others, a higher body weight is viewed as a failing or a health risk. So, what do these differing messages surrounding health and weight mean to young women living in a multicultural nation like Canada?

This is the question the Werklund School of Education’s Gloria Dada-Sanchez wants to answer.

“The aim of my study is to identify cultural and individual meanings and understandings pertaining to healthy eating and weight,” says Dada-Sanchez, an Eyes High Postdoctoral Scholar who holds a doctorate in Clinical and Health Psychology. “I’m hoping to understand the tensions, understandings and dilemmas around weight issues that young women from immigrant families in Canada encounter.”

Dada-Sanchez believes that what it means to be healthy or have the ‘ideal body’ varies across different generations and cultures and that young women in multicultural contexts like Canada must continually negotiate the contradictory messages they receive from their diverse social groups.

“Positioning towards these ambivalent discourses could have a negative impact for young women from immigrant families in terms of identity, mental health and self-esteem because adhering to the standards and values of a group would entail transgressing those suggested by another.”

Simply put, these women are faced with a catch-22 where appeasing one faction means failing another. And if eating habits and weight control are related to notions of attractiveness and success, as they often are, these women are at risk of developing eating disorders.

Dada-Sanchez says that research previously carried out on food and weight has been done from either an individual or an interactional perspective, but what distinguishes her work is that it addresses both perspectives and the reciprocity between them.

“Meaning is created and maintained within social dialogues, and personal constructs are developed within those interactions. I want to address the influence that social interactions have on individuals, and how individuals respond to these possible discrepancies.”

The results of her study will be used to provide counsellors and educators with strategies to enhance prevention and mental health treatment.

For her study, Dada-Sanchez is looking to recruit young adult women from immigrant families who were born in Canada or abroad.

“We are asking for young adult women because it is in this stage of development when they experience some degree of separation from their families of origin, and face challenges in reconciling their own judgment with the social and environmental demands they are facing.”

Those interested in participating in the study can reach Dada-Sanchez at eating.weight.research@gmail.com