by Dr. Leon Katz / September 4 2024

Obesity is a serious health condition because it can lead to many other dangerous diseases. In the United States, about 42% of adults are obese, and 72% are either overweight or obese. This blog focuses on how obesity affects the African American community, especially African American women (AA).

Among African American women, the combined rate of being overweight and obese is 79.6%. Specifically, 56% are obese, and 30.9% are overweight (1). Fat distribution in AA women tends to be more in the legs and buttocks (subcutaneous fat) rather than around the abdomen (visceral fat) (2). This is important because visceral fat is more closely linked to diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. This means that AA women have a different risk profile related to obesity compared to other races.

Several factors contribute to the higher rate of obesity in AA women compared to European American (EA) women.

Let's break down the causes:

Nurture:

• Socioeconomic and Educational Status: African American communities have a higher rate of food deserts, where access to healthy food is limited.

• Stress and Mental Health: The stress of dealing with racism and socioeconomic challenges can lead to weight gain.

• Health Access Disparity: AA women often have less access to preventive health services and weight management programs.

Nature (3):

• Insulin Response: AA women have beta cells in the pancreas that respond more strongly to sugar in the blood, leading to higher insulin levels compared to EA women.

• Insulin Clearance: The liver in AA women removes insulin more slowly, causing insulin levels to stay elevated longer.

• Fat Storage: Because of prolonged high insulin levels, organs and muscles in AA women convert more sugar into fat, which is stored primarily in the thighs and buttocks.

• Diet Impact: Diets high in foods with a high Glycemic Index (GI), like sugary drinks and white bread, cause a bigger spike in insulin levels, leading to more fat storage.

• Energy Efficiency: AA women’s bodies are more efficient at using energy, meaning they need to burn fewer calories than EA women to get the same amount of energy. This efficiency can lead to more sugar being stored as fat rather than being used for energy.

These points paint a more complete picture of why obesity rates are higher in AA women. Research has shown that different racial groups store fat differently. For example, women of Asian descent tend to have more visceral fat compared to Caucasian women, who, in turn, have more than African American women.

Connecting the Dots: African American women have higher obesity rates compared to other races. Social factors often lead to the consumption of more ultra-processed foods, and their physiology causes their bodies to produce more insulin in response to sugar, leading to greater fat storage, particularly in the thighs and buttocks. While subcutaneous fat causes less immediate harm compared to visceral fat, it can still lead to health problems like diabetes and heart disease later in life, especially if weight continues to increase.

The best approach for losing weight and getting healthier for AA women is to focus on a diet with a lower Glycemic Index, such as fresh, home-cooked foods, rather than convenient, ultra-processed options. Physical activity is also crucial, and while you don’t need to spend hours at the gym, staying active is essential for overall health. Please take a look at my previous blog regarding exercise for further information, https://bit.ly/3Mtv0Gi

Stay healthy and strong!

Dr. Leon Katz

This information is for educational purposes and should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

Sources:

1)Office of Minority Health https://bit.ly/47oOYvL

2) Genetics of Body Fat Distribution: Comparative Analyses in Populations with European, Asian and African Ancestries. Chang Sun et al. Genes 2021, 12, 841; 1-20. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/6/841

3) Obesity in African-Americans: The role of physiology. B. A. Gower & L. A. Fowler. Journal of Internal Medicine Journal of Internal Medicine, 2020, 288; 295–304 https://bit.ly/4cMXFA