Body size preferences for women and adolescent girls living in Africa: a mixed-methods systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To synthesise evidence on body size preferences for females living in Africa and the factors influencing these.

Design

Mixed-methods systematic review including searches on Medline, CINHAL, ASSIA, Web of Science and PsycINFO (PROSPERO CRD42015020509). A sequential-explanatory approach was used to integrate quantitative and qualitative findings.

Setting

Urban and rural Africa.

Participants

Studies of both sexes providing data on body size preferences for adolescent girls and women aged ≥10 years.

Results

Seventy-three articles from twenty-one countries were included: fifty quantitative, fifteen qualitative and eight mixed methods. Most studies reported a preference for normal or overweight body sizes. Some studies of adolescent girls/young women

SUBMITTER: Pradeilles R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9991778 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature