Wellness Guide: Nutrition and Fitness

What You Should Know

Many of the celebrations in the African American community revolve around food and family. For many of us food equals love and comfort. Its no wonder that as African American lesbians and bisexual women that we use food as a source of comfort. Unfortunately that comfort comes with a price tag which includes illness and disease.

Research has found that:

• One in ten black women over the age of 40 is more than 100 pounds overweight. ¹

• African American women who are severely overweight are more prone to die of breast, cervical, and endometrial cancer.

• Women with breast or ovarian cancer are and overweight are more likely to die from these disease than women with cancer who are not overweight.

• Being overweight increases your risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and breathing problems.

• According to researchers, overweight women of color burn fewer calories than white women while resting. ² This means that it is even more important for us to exercise. The more lean body mass or muscle we have the more calories we can burn.

References:

¹ Smith, G. E. (2001) Weight loss for African American women: An eight week guide to better health. Roscoe, IL: Hilton Publishing Company.

² DiPietro, G. B. & Poehlman, E. T. (2000). Do African Americans have lower energy expenditure than Caucasians? International Journal of Obesity Related Metabolic Disorders, 24(1), 4-13.

US Department of Health and Human Services, US Department of Agriculture, (2005). Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.

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