African American Health
African Americans and Diet
Let's face it. Americans of all
races tend to eat more and are less active than their ancestors,
which, is contributing to the obesity epidemic in the US. Recent
statistics show that up to 66% the US population is overweight or
obese. These weight trends are even more pronounced among
African Americans with 60% of African American men and 78% of
African American women identified as overweight. In addition, 28.8%
of men and 50.8% of African American women are considered obese. The
charts below show that black women lead the population both in the
numbers who are overweight and obese. In these statistics, the white
and black race groups include persons of Hispanic and non-Hispanic
origin.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Division of
Health Examination Statistics.
Unpublished data,
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm.
1Body
Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 25.
2Body
Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30.
Now for some good news.
Eating a
nutritious, low fat diet and participating in
regular
exercise are the best steps anyone can take toward preventing
and treating obesity. Low fat eating habits and regular physical
activity not only aid in weight reduction, but can also reduce the
risk of several chronic diseases. Reducing weight by just 5-10% may
reduce the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
If you take medication for these conditions, you may require less
once you've lost weight. This will help reduce side effects from
medication, as well as medical costs.
For some African Americans, a family
tradition of soul food may pose a problem for today's less active
lifestyle. Soul foods traditionally depend on fat, sugar and sodium
for their flavor. By modifying recipes and decreasing portion sizes,
African Americans may reduce their weight and the chronic diseases
that accompany it.
What Factors
Influence Diet?
Diseases Associated with Obesity
Take charge of your health, by taking charge of
your weight
In Order to Maintain Your Good Health
What Factors Influence Diet?
Culture, environment, and heredity
are some of the factors that affect what we eat and how our bodies
process food.
Culture
Many studies have shown that, in
general, African Americans:
- Accept larger body sizes
- Feel less guilt about
over-eating
- Are less likely to practice
unhealthy dieting behaviors, such as over-exercising or purging
Although African Americans have a
healthy acceptance of a wider range of body sizes, their tolerance
may lead to more obesity and serious obesity-related health
problems. To evaluate your weight, compare it to a
body
mass index (BMI) table. The higher your BMI, the higher your
risk for chronic diseases. Just losing a little weight can make a
big difference.
Environment
Environmental influences on what we
eat include:
- Availability
- Convenience
- Cost
- What the others around us are
eating
- What we were taught as children
Many families do not make nutrition
a top priority, and children are suffering increasing obesity rates.
In addition, the rate of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure is
on the rise in this population. The following chart shows the
percentages of overweight children by race. "Overweight" is defined
as
body mass index (BMI) at or above the sex- and age-specific 95th
percentile cutoff points calculated by the National Health
Examination Survey (NHES).
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Division of
Health Examination Statistics.
Unpublished data,
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm.
Heredity
Some people may
inherit
genes that enable them to eat more than others, without gaining
weight. Unfortunately, this is only a small percent of our
population. On the other hand, many people inherit genes that make
it difficult for them to lose weight. For most Americans, eating
less and
increasing physical activity is the best method for maintaining
a healthy weight and good health.
Diseases Associated with Obesity
If you are obese, you are at serious
risk for a wide variety of health problems. Several are described
below.
Type 2 Diabetes
Being obese greatly increases the
chances for developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes usually
affects adults. However, with the increasing rates of obesity in
children, the risk of type 2 diabetes in teens is on the rise.
African American teenage girls are at especially high risk. For
information about diabetes and African Americans,
click here.
Hypertension or "high blood
pressure"
African Americans have higher rates
of high blood pressure than other races. Obesity and consuming a
diet high in sodium (found in salt) increase the risk for high blood
pressure. To prevent hypertension, lose weight and cut back on
dietary sodium found in table salt. Highly processed foods such as
TV dinners, soy sauce, lunch meat, canned foods and "fast food" are
also high in sodium. Left uncontrolled, hypertension may lead to
strokes, heart disease, and kidney failure. For information about
hypertension and African Americans,
click here.
Cancer
Although the exact causes for
different cancers are not known, most studies show a connection
between diet and certain types of cancer. A high fat diet has been
linked to
colon,
breast and
prostate
cancer. Consuming a low fat diet with plenty of fruits and
vegetables is beneficial in preventing many types of cancer. For
information about colon cancer and African Americans,
click here. For information about breast cancer and African
Americans,
click here. For information about prostate cancer and African
Americans,
click here.
Take charge of your health, by
taking charge of your weight
With the approval of your health
care provider, set a reasonable weight loss goal, make a diet and
exercise plan, and start taking charge of your weight. Ask your
health care provider for a referral to a Registered Dietitian to
help you develop a meal plan that meets your lifestyle.
In Order to Maintain Your Good
Health
You can modify the USDA's food
pyramid to incorporate healthful soul food recipes. For healthful
soul food recipes, try the following:
Heart Healthy Home Cooking African American Style (PDF version -
requires Adobe Acrobat)
NOTE: This site contains a PDF document, which can be opened if you
have Adobe Acrobat on your computer. The PDF document is formatted
"cook book style," with pictures and recipes that you can print out.
Here are some tips to help you
lose:
Limit high calorie beverages such
as soft drinks
A large soda from a fast food
restaurant can have over 500 calories! That's almost as much as a
Big Mac®! Drink plain water-- it saves you money and calories.
Cook your favorite foods with less
added fat
If
you usually deep-fry, try sautéing vegetables in low salt
chicken or beef broth.
Replace
fats like bacon grease and butter with olive or canola oil.
Try
steaming vegetables, and add a few spices for flavor.
Taste
your food before you add butter- you may be surprised at how
good fresh corn is all by itself.
Replace
heavy cream sauces and butter with low fat or non-fat sour cream
and try putting sauces on the side.
Enjoy
seasonal fruit for dessert, such as berries, citrus fruits,
pears, cherries or grapes.
Try
eating your vegetables raw with some low-calorie salad dressing.
Lose weight slowly
If you skip your daily candy bar,
you will save 250 calories a day. Skip the soda and bag of chips,
and you've cut another 250 calories. Over a 4-week period, that can
add up to a 2-4 pound weight loss! That might not seem like a lot,
but slow, sensible weight loss will build good habits that last a
lifetime.
Limit TV viewing time
Several studies have shown that as
the number of hours of TV viewing goes up, so does a person's
weight. This is probably because of the "semi-conscious munching" of
snack foods that often accompanies television watching, as well as
decreased physical activity. Turn off the tube and get moving.
Write down what you eat
Studies have shown that when you
write down what you eat, you tend to eat less. Keeping a food diary
makes you more aware of your eating habits and also makes you more
accountable for your actions.
Deal with emotions
Some people eat when they are
stressed, angry, sad, hurt, or even happy! Try to be aware if you
are eating for some reason other than hunger.
Get regular physical activity
Studies show that people who
exercise regularly are much more likely to have long-term weight
loss success. Keep exploring until you find a physical activity that
suits you. Find a friend to join you. You'll be more likely to
maintain your exercise program if you have a friend to motivate you.
Have you ever tried yoga? Do you enjoy a walk after dinner? Aim for
30-60 minutes of continuous activity 3-5 times per week.
Take charge of your health now and
be proud of the beautiful individual that you are!
