Change And Weight Loss Among African American Women: Case Study

An estimated 97 million adults in the United States are overweight or obese (Klein 2000). “"Affecting one in five Americans – or more than 22 percent of the U.S. population – obesity is one of the most pervasive health problems in our nation right now," said George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of surgery and associate director of the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. "We need to implement steps to slow the progression of this national epidemic” (NAASO 1999). But the problem of obesity does not only affect the United States. "We now know that the growing prevalence of obesity is creating major health problems worldwide," said Dr. James O. Hill, president of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO) and Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Obesity was once regarded as unique to Americans, but it is now seen as a global health risk affecting developing and underdeveloped countries (AOA 2000). Obesity is increasing at an epidemic rate in the United States - 1.3% a year for women over 20. Rates of obesity among minority populations, including African-Americans and Hispanic Americans are especially high (AOA 2000). There is also a marked increase in obesity among children.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third, 34.9% (78.6 million) of adults in the United States are obese (Adult Obesity Facts). In 2008, the annual medical cost of obesity was $147 billion dollars, and the people who were obese had medical costs that were $1,429 higher than those at normal weight. The National Census Bureau of the United States reveals that the overall percentage of all ages with a body mass index of over 30 (obese) has increased from 20% of the population in 1998 to 33% in 2008. The amount of adults who are physically inactive has increased in that same time period from 28.9% to 36.2% of the population. Non-Hispanic blacks have the highest age-adjusted rates of obesity of 47.8%, followed by Hispanics at 42.5%, non-Hispanic whites at 32.6%, and non-Hispanic Asians at 10.8%. The prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States in 2011-2012 was approximately 17% or 12.7 million of children aged 2-19 years old.12 There are significant racial disparities in children as well. Obesity prevalence was higher among Hispanics at 22.4% and non-Hispanic black youth at 20.2% than non-Hispanic white youth at 14.1%. The lowest prevalence of obesity was non-Hispanic Asian youth at

“ In its purest form, demography focuses on the three forces that influence population size: fertility, mortality, and migration” (pg 35). Demography can help project the future effects of obesity because it relates greatly to the mortality aspect of demography because it is a risk factor for several diseases. The chapter discusses many aspects of obesity including measurement, overall trends, age, gender, race, and geographic location Body mass index which is weight divided by height is the most common way obesity is measured because of how easy it is to calculate and is used to determine if someone is classified as obese. However, BMI is not considered the most accurate measurement of obesity. A BMI of 30 is considered obese and the percentage of American adults that fall under this category has been increasing since the 70’s. People are generally more overweight then the past and the heaviest have gained the most. Rates of obesity have also been increasing in children as well. BMI increases with age and children who are obese are very likely to stay that way as

Over 60 million people are obese in the world today. The socioeconomic statuses of the Americans play a major part in the obesity rates across the country. People with higher incomes are less likely to be obese than people with lower incomes. One in every seven preschool-aged children living in lower income areas are obese (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). A 2008 study showed that obesity is highest among American Indian and Alaska Native (21.2 percent) and Hispanic Americans (18.5 percent) children, and it is lowest

Obesity was significantly more prevalent amongst female African Americans in this community. With the highest rate affecting women between the ages of 45 to 64. Obesity was also higher amongst Black females who’s educational attainment was lower

Obesity has become a major problem here in America. Although millions of American’s are affected by it, from all levels of society, the biggest problem seems to be focused with low-income families.

Social factors play very important role in our society,Through the influence of these factors, Obesity is one of main concern in US. The growing obesity rates in the US and it's affect on consumer culture is debating towards our future. Studies have suggested that the obesity is social distributed , into different social groups, some other factors such as martial status is linked cross-sectionally with obesity ( Sobal J, Raushenbach BS, 1992 ). When applying obesity into racial profiles over 80% of black women over the age of forty are overweight and obese( Wang and beydou ,2007) compare to white and Latino woman’s. However, socio-demographic and one 's racial profile shouldn't consist on growing obesity, Even though SES

Despite the well-publicized health and emotional consequences of obesity, a successful weight-loss industry, and a high rate of voluntary dieting, the prevalence of obesity in African American women continues to increase. For the most part, African American women are aware of the serious health risks related to obesity. Honest attempts to diet and exercise properly usually resulted in gaining of the weight loss and additional pounds in the process. A limited number of studies suggest that African American women maybe less motivated to control their weight because of culturally determined, permissive attitudes toward obesity (Kumanyika & Guilford-Davis, 1993). In fact a select few of obese African

Abstract: African American people have a high percentage of obesity compared to other ethnic groups. Social determinants of obesity in African American people include low socioeconomic status, limited access to affordable and healthy food, dietary behavior and food culture, lack of nutrition knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, higher exposure of marketing of less nutritious food and limited access to safe places to physically active. This research was done to see how these social determinants affect the obesity rate in African American people. Different researches were reviewed. The effects of above mentioned social determinants were observed and some recommendations are given in order to minimize the health disparities in low income African

Unfortunately, childhood overweight and obesity rates in America have tripled the last three decades and tend to be much higher amongst African Americans. According to research done by UC Davis, “Nearly 40% of African American children are overweight or obese.”

The most notable problem that has intensified the problem of diabetes and obesity among African Americans is diet. The trajectory of African American lifestyle is characterized by misfortunes rendering their dietary situation vulnerable (Borrell&Samuel, 2014). From the historical factors that led to their presence in the foreign country, the Africans were subjected to a diet that was not friendly to their health. Used as machines by their masters, Africans found their eating habits in a cultural framework that emphasized on proteins to make them energetic and able to work. Therefore, the unprecedented subjection to unbalanced diet started from the moment they set foot on the new land. According to Heuman, Scholl, & Wilkinson (2013), unavailability of healthy food and the destitute amount of resources to secure healthy eating has been inimical to healthy living among African Americans. Indeed, owing to the poor economic background, most Africans rely on fast food outlets and takeaways that comprise unhealthy and chemical-induced meals concentrated with calories and fats.

Fried chicken, mash potatoes and collard greens mixed with fatback meat was my family’s favorite Sunday meal. Soul food, as it has been called, is valued by many African American families. Given the worldwide obesity epidemic that appears to be affecting most ethnic groups, there is an appreciation that the causes of obesity among African American families and others must lie in the fundamental aspects of the food supply (Capers, C et al. 2011). In my opinion, African Americans in the United Sates are more likely to be obese because there is a large number of low-income families’ and many are uninsured. According to the Office of Minority Health, African American women have the highest rates of being obese compared to other groups in

According to one of my classmates where he resides Hispanic and African-American people who resides in the Bexar, Texas area obesity which is a condition that involves an accumulation of too much body fat to an extent that it will negatively affected someone’s health. There are lots of things that give to obesity like too many calories, lack of exercise and physical activity and in some cases its simply genetic. Obesity in this area is a public health problem because of cost and the effects on health. It increases the chances of getting diseases like, “hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, sleep apnea, and some cancers. It is estimated that African-Americans 39.7 and Hispanics are 29.00 percent of

African American women have the highest prevalence of being overweight and obese in the United States, at 82%. A primary goal of Health People 2020 is to eliminate health disparities for populations that are at higher risk of developing chronic conditions related to obesity, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Contributing health factors that cause obesity, such as decreased physical activity, stress, and poor nutrition, is also an area of focus. Church is a long-standing source of support for African American women and is a good place to promote faith-based healthy lifestyle programs (Kyryliuk, Baruth, &

These two populations have higher rates of being obese them other populations. The population and society obesity mainly affects are the U.S.men and woman adult blacks and latino (The State of Obesity). These populations have a higher rate of people being obese compared to a white population. About 47.8% blacks are obese, latinos are 42% obese compared to white people who are only 32.6% obese (The State of Obesity). The main reasons why black and latinos are the most obese because of their absence of healthy food (The State of Obesity). These societies are not able to get healthy food is because of their lack of money and living situations to stay healthy.