Blacks Have the Highest Rates of Obesity in the US
Blacks have the highest rates of obesity in the United States, according to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC conducted a national telephone survey, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, with more than 1 million adults between 2006 and 2008 and reported its results in July 2009 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The survey found that 35.7 percent of American blacks were obese, followed by 28.7 percent of Hispanics and 23.7 of non-Hispanic whites. The overall rate of obesity in the United States was 25.6 percent.
The study defined obesity as a body mass index (BMI) equal to, or greater than, 30. BMI is calculated by taking a person’s weight, in pounds, dividing it by his or her height, in inches squared, and multiplying the sum by 703. The resulting number is the person’s BMI.
Obesity was more common among women than men. Black women had the greatest rate of obesity with 39.2 percent, followed by black men with 31.6 percent. The rate for Hispanic women was 29.4 percent, with Hispanic men at 27.8 percent. White men were at 25.4 percent, and white women at 21.8 percent.
Higher obesity rates for blacks were found in all Census regions and in most states, with significantly higher rates for blacks in 21 states. The highest obesity rate for blacks, 45.1 percent, was found in Maine. The highest rate for Hispanics, 36.7 percent, was in Tennessee; and the highest rate for whites, 30.2 percent, was in West Virginia. The highest rates for all three groups were found in the South and Midwest.
The study’s researchers noted several factors that contribute to the higher incidence of obesity among blacks. One significant factor is attitude and cultural norms regarding body image. Black and Hispanic women indicated higher satisfaction with body size than white women, meaning black and Hispanic women are less likely to diet than white women. In addition, the study noted that residents of neighborhoods with high minority populations have less access to supermarkets with affordable, healthy foods and safe facilities for physical activity.
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