Author Topic: Is racism making you FAT? Victims of prejudice are at greater risk of obesity says study  (Read 557 times)

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rangerrebew

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Is racism making you FAT? Victims of prejudice are at greater risk of obesity


Researchers found relationship between racism and obesity was strongest among women who were frequent victims of prejudice
The study was based on the Black Women's Health Study, which enrolled 59,000 African-American women in 1995 and has followed them since
Workplace and community-based programmes to combat racism are an important component in strategies to prevent obesity, one expert said


By Sarah Griffiths

PUBLISHED: 08:21 EST, 5 March 2014  | UPDATED: 09:44 EST, 5 March 2014 


 
There are many reasons why an increasing number of people are classified as obese - and now racism could be one of them.


Frequent experiences of racism are associated with a higher risk of obesity among African American women, a new study claims.


Scientists found that women who were more frequently victimised for their race, were more likely to be obese.




Frequent experiences of racism are associated with a higher risk of obesity among African American women, a new study claims. Scientists found that women who were more frequently victimised for their race, were more likely to be obese. Here, a teenager in Virginia is examined in hospital before gastric band surgery

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Frequent experiences of racism are associated with a higher risk of obesity among African American women, a new study claims. Scientists found that women who were more frequently victimised for their race, were more likely to be obese. Here, a teenager in Virginia is examined in hospital before gastric band surgery


The study, by Slone Epidemiology Centre at Boston University, found the relationship between racism and obesity was strongest among women who reported consistently high experience of racism over a 12 year period.


The research was based on the Black Women's Health Study, which enrolled 59,000 African-American women in 1995 and has followed them since.


 


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While rates of obesity in the U.S. have risen rapidly over the past few decades, the greatest increases have been seen in African American women, half of whom are currently classified as obese.


Obesity is a risk factor for numerous health conditions including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and orthopaedic problems.


Scientists said that racism is a form of psychosocial stress that African Americans experience disproportionately.


It is thought that experiences of racism contribute to obesity. Data suggests that chronic exposure to stress can result in dysregulation of important neuroendocrine functions, (interactions between the nervous and endocrine systems) which can influence the accumulation of excess body fat.




The study found that women who reported everyday racism in and outside of work in surveys conducted in 1997 and 2009, were 69 per cent more likely to become obese compared to those in the lowest category

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The study found that women who reported everyday racism in and outside of work in surveys conducted in 1997 and 2009, were 69 per cent more likely to become obese compared to those in the lowest category


The Black Women's Health Study collected information on experiences of racism, height and weight and other lifestyle factors via biennial questionnaires.


The participants were asked in 1997 and in 2009 to rate the frequency of ‘everyday’ experiences of racism, such as receiving poorer service in restaurants and if they had been treated unfairly because of their race in their job, in housing or by the police.


Researchers analysed the results of women under the age of 40 in 2009 because most adult weight gain occurs during the reproductive years.


They found that women in the highest category of reported everyday racism in both 1997 and 2009 were 69 per cent more likely to become obese compared to those in the lowest category.


Women who reported more lifetime racism were also at increased risk of obesity, according to the study, which was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.


‘Experiences of racism may explain in part the high prevalence of obesity among African American women,’ said Yvette Cozier, assistant professor of epidemiology at Boston University who led the research.


She believes that workplace and community-based programmes to combat racism are an important component in strategies to prevent obesity, especially in high risk communities.


ARE WE BORN RACIST? CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS SEVEN MAKE JUDGEMENTS



Another new study found that a sample of mostly white American children think that black children feel less pain than white children.


Scientists from the University of Virginia found that children as young as seven hold the belief and their study, published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, builds on previous works on bias among adults involving pain perception.

They testest children at ages five, seven, and 10 by asking them to rate the severity of pain that they believed would be felt by other children of the same gender in different situations, such as bumping their head, or slamming a hand in a door.


When shown pictures of black children, the seven and 10-year-olds tended to rate the pain as being less severe than when they were shown pictures of white children.


‘Our research shows that a potentially very harmful bias in adults emerges during middle childhood, and appears to develop across childhood’ said Rebecca Dore, a PhD candidate in developmental psychology at the university.


She thinks the finding is important because many kinds of explicit biases emerge in early childhood - such as children wanting to play with friends of their own race - but those types of biases often decline in later childhood.


However, the racial bias in children’s perceptions of others’ pain appears to strengthen from early to late childhood.


‘Talking to children about racial issues early may be important for preventing the development of biases that could have consequences in adulthood,’ she said.
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Oceander

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If true it would have nothing to do with racism, per se, and everything to do with having been picked on by others and made to feel inferior because of who you are.  That would get anyone down, no matter what the basis for the picking on was.

Offline EC

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I could go two ways with this.

You get hassled, you either comfort eat, starve yourself, or become the strongest, nastiest bleep you can be. Normal responses.

However, correlation is not causation.
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Oceander

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I could go two ways with this.

You get hassled, you either comfort eat, starve yourself, or become the strongest, nastiest bleeper you can be. Normal responses.

However, correlation is not causation.

true enough

rangerrebew

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I could go two ways with this.

You get hassled, you either comfort eat, starve yourself, or become the strongest, nastiest bleeper you can be. Normal responses.

However, correlation is not causation.

To the left correlation is close enough for government work - unless it goes against their grain.  Then all proof in heaven and hell couldn't change their minds. :smokin:

Online mountaineer

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What percentage of these "victims of prejudice" received food stamps and other forms of welfare? Maybe that's what makes them fat.   :whistle:
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