February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on civil rights heroes of the past and issues that affect our communities today. I’ve been reading and seeing a lot of media coverage about the threat of obesity to our nation. It is a well-known fact now that America is suffering from a weight problem in which two out of three adults are considered overweight or obese. However, fewer people may know the disproportionate effect that obesity has on the Black community.
A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed non-Hispanic Blacks to have the highest rates of obesity with 44.1% considered obese. Other races’ obesity rates are considerably lower: 39.3% of Mexican Americans, 37.9% of all Hispanics, and 32.8% of non-Hispanic Whites are obese. This represents a serious concern for the health of the Black community; the repercussions of obesity are serious and often lead to early death and chronic health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
This information startled me. Why is obesity so prevalent among Black people and why should we be concerned? First Lady Michelle Obama describes obesity, particularly in the Black community as the “slow, quiet everyday threat that doesn’t always appear to warrant the headline urgency of the other issues we face.” The work of the First Lady’s Let’s Move campaign is a prudent reminder that if we continue down this path of unhealthy lifestyles, the children of today might be the first generation in history to lead shorter lives then their parents.
A CDC report, Differences in Prevalence of Obesity Among Black, Whites, and Hispanic Adults suggests three reasons that account for the differences in the prevalence of obesity among populations. First are racial and ethnic differences in behavior that may contribute to weight gain. “Compared with non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanics are less likely to engage in regular (non-occupational) physical activity,” the CDC report says.
The CDC also cites a link to differences based on cultural norms of body image and weight, finding that non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women are more satisfied with their body size than non-Hispanic Whites. This satisfaction means they may be less likely to see a need to lose weight.
Location and place can also greatly shape the nutritional choices available to Black people. Neighborhoods with large minority populations often have fewer chain supermarkets and produce stores. And where there are supermarkets, the price of healthy food is typically significantly higher than the cost of less healthy foods.
With the looming threat of obesity it’s important to understand how to combat its growth. In her speech to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Obama compared the work against obesity to the civil rights movement, requiring organization, legislation, and individual action to fight the different causes of obesity.
She urged legislators to support policies and programs that improve health and eating habits, provide nutritious food options, and create safe and clean parks to promote exercise. The problem can be addressed at a community level as well, especially through the strong faith-based institutions in the Black community. The First Lady also suggested neighborhood dance teams as a way to get young people engaged in fitness. Community gardens or farmers markets can be organized to supply fresh produce to communities that lack access.
The First Lady is right. By creating strong community-based efforts to combat obesity, many communities will begin to see positive results. It is also critical to establish health and nutrition-based curriculum starting at the elementary school-level to teach future generations to understand the important role food plays in their day-to-day life and overall health.
Her programs and others like them are a solid start to reducing—and maybe even eradicating—obesity in the Black community, but they cannot be the last. In order for systemic change to occur, individuals and groups from all sectors of the community need to be involved. In that spirit, the NEA Health Information Network is committed to promoting and facilitating healthy lifestyles in our schools. Visit the childhood obesity section of the NEA HIN website for more information about their efforts and how you can get involved.
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