‘Dying to be Beautiful? Body Image, Eating Behaviours and Health in the Caribbean’

The University of the West Indies, Mona
Western Jamaica Campus
CALL FOR PAPERS!!!
The Psychology Unit in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work is hosting its first International Conference
at the Western Campus, Montego Bay Jamaica, over the period January 13-15, 2012 on the theme ‘Dying to be Beautiful?
Body Image, Eating Behaviours and Health in the Caribbean’.
Our bodies can be considered a mirror of society‟s current economic, social and cultural trends; one that reflects the need for
extreme alterations in outward appearance or a facilitation of unhealthy eating lifestyle. From our love for “Fat Women” and
consuming large quantities of food, to our love for „fast foods‟, there is an increased prevalence of obesity along with its
associated medical complications.
There is also the popular culture which engenders the ideology that bodies - whether thin, voluptuous, muscular or of light
complexion will result in high self-esteem, power, prestige, self-worth and acceptance.
Persons who have profound dissatisfaction with their bodies may be influenced to develop negative relationships with their
bodies as they engage in extreme measures of body alterations such as bleaching, strict weight loss regimes, muscle building or
plastic surgery. These unhealthy body behaviours are being reflected in the rising prevalence of eating disorders, the alarming
skin bleaching phenomenon and the continued increase in the prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus
These concerns are not unique to the Jamaican population, and in fact many are concerned with the degree of such behaviours
internationally and have made attempts to better understand the phenomenon by investigating for possible causes and
associated factors.
This conference is inspired by the desire to explore possible explanations for these changing trends and gain a better
understanding of this new culture. An acknowledgment of the multifaceted nature of human beings encompassing the
psychological, physiological, spiritual and social aspects is of vital importance. We therefore view this issue from an
interdisciplinary standpoint and encourage papers from all related fields that impinge on issues relating to the theme.
The Conference welcomes papers relating to any of the proposed themes below:
Eating Disorders: Medical and Cultural norms that define Body Image.
Is there a Fat Gene? The Physiology of Obesity.
Health Issues associated with being Overweight: Challenging the Extreme Aesthetics.
Body Dysmorphia, Skin Tattooing and Plastic surgery: Body denigration or Body appreciation?
Building a healthy lifestyle between you and your body.
Race is no longer biologically determined: Challenging the Bleaching Phenomenon.
This conference will attempt to comprehensively address these themes through a compilation of scholarly research
papers. A selection of the best papers from the conference will be published.
Deadline for abstracts: August 31, 2011
Deadline for acceptances: October 31, 2011
Deadline for completed papers: November 31, 2011
Instruction to Authors
Authors should complete the biographic form attached and submit one copy of their abstract via e-mail to dying.to.be.beautiful.symposium@gmail.com
Abstracts should be completed in compliance with the APA guidelines. NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Abstract
Abstracts should BE NO MORE THAN 300-400 WORDS and must be formatted as follows:
TITLE: Do not use abbreviations.
AUTHORS: List the first author first, if there are more than one authors. List initials of first and middle names followed by surnames. Do not include degrees, titles or institutional appointments.
INSTITIUTION: List institute(s) where work originated, city and country.
TEXT: Arrange text under the following headings:
Objective: Main objective, research questions, hypotheses of study.
Method: Describe the design of the study and how it was conducted;
indicating sampling, sample size, procedures, instruments, data analysis etc.
Results: Present only the main results, i.e. significance.
Conclusion: Present only those directly supported by the results, be as specific as possible. Include recommendations and future investigations.
Biographic Form
Name:______________________________________
Title:_______________________________________
Institutional Affiliation:_______________________
Address:____________________________________
____________________________________________
Phone Number(s):(Office)______________________
(Home)________________(Cell)_________________
E-Mail Address:_____________________________
___________________________________________
Date of Submission: __________________________