Maybe she’s your hilarious aunt, your lovable mother, your loyal friend or maybe she’s you.
Judging by the sheer number of African American women who suffer from being overweight or obese there’s no doubt that you know at least one of them.
While you may have visually noticed this problem, the actual numbers may alarm you.
According to the Office of Minority Health, African American women have the highest rates of being overweight or obese compared to other groups in the United States.
The numbers go on to say that for every five African American women, about four of them are overweight or obese.
That’s alarming.
We all know the catalysts that contribute to this condition, generations of poor eating habits, the cultural acceptance of the rounder frame, even the fear that we’ll mess up our freshly relaxed hair contribute to this cultural epidemic.
Now please know this is not about an aesthetic preference. If you could be overweight and perfectly healthy, there would be no need for this conversation. But being overweight or obese leads to countless health concerns including:
• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Breathing problems
• Arthritis
• Gallbladder disease
• Sleep apnea
• Some cancers (Minority Women’s Health)
You may have already been aware of this list, but seeing it once more can either encourage you to keep up the good fight in maintaining your health or serve as a warning of what could happen if you continue to live the way you do.
This week we’ll be examining our battle with obesity and the ways we can combat it.
