Obesity and African Americans

African American women have the highest rates of being overweight or obese compared to other groups in the U.S. About four out of five African American women are overweight or obese.¹
In 2005, African Americans were 1.4 times as likely to be obese as Non- Hispanic Whites.
From 2001-2004, African American women were 70% more likely to be obese than Non-Hispanic White women.
In 2003-2004, African American children between ages 6 -17 were 1.3 times as likely to be overweight than Non-Hispanic Whites.

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who are overweight or obese, 2001-2004. (Persons are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Men

67.0

71.0

0.9

Women

79.6

57.6

1.4

Source: : CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 74.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are overweight but not obese, 2006. (Persons are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

33.7

34.5

1.0

Source: : CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2007 Table 31.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Age-adjusted percentage of overweight persons 20 years of age and over who are obese, 2001-2004. (Persons are considered obese if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Men

30.8

30.2

1.0

Women

51.1

30.7

1.7

Source: : CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 74.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are obese, 2005. (Persons are considered obese if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

35.3

24.7

1.4

Source: :CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 31.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Outpatient visits with counseling or education about diet and nutrition 2003-2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Men

17.9

12.6

1.4

Women

17.4

12.7

1.4

Total

17.6

12.6

1.4

Source: : CDC,NCHS National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Table 237

CHILDREN

Percentage overweight among children and adolescents 6–11 years of age, 2001–2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Girls

24.8

15.6

1.6

Boys

17.2

16.9

1.0

Source: : CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 75.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]

Overweight among children and adolescents 6–11 years of age 2003–2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Boys

17.5

18.5

1.0

Girls

26.5

16.9

1.6

Total

22.0

17.7

1.2

Source: : Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007. Table HEALTH5.
http://www.childstats.gov/pdf/ac2007/ac_07.pdf[PDF, 2MB]

Overweight among children and adolescents 12–17 years of age 2003–2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Boys

19.1

19.0

1.0

Girls

24.1

14.6

1.6

Total

21.5

16.9

1.3

Overweight among children and adolescents 6-17 years of age 2003 - 2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Boys

18.3

18.8

1.0

Girls

25.3

15.7

1.6

Total

21.7

17.3

1.3

Percent of children age 2-17 for whom a doctor or other health provider ever gave advice about amount and kind of physical activity, United States, 2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

33.1

32.4

1.0

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table 1.79a.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr07/index.html

Percent of children age 2-17 for whom a doctor or other health provider ever gave advice about eating healthy, United States, 2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

51.8

53.6

1.0

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table 1.80a.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr07/index.html

Outpatient visits with counseling or education about diet and nutrition 0-17 years 2003- 2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

17.9

14.3

1.3

Source: :2006 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 237.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr06/index.html

Outpatient visits with counseling or education about exercise 0-17 years 2003-2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

5.3

5.1

1.0

Source: :2006 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 238.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr06/index.html

HEALTH IMPACT OF OBESITY

More than 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.²
People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, and LDL cholesterol -- all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. ²
In 2005, African Americans were 50% less likely to engage in active physical activity as Non-Hispanic Whites.
Deaths from heart disease and stroke are almost twice the rate for African Americans as compared to Whites.

Physical Activity:

Inactive physical activity among adults 18 & over: 2006

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

49

35.3

1.4

Source: :CDC 2008. Health United States, 2007. Table 73.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]

Some Leisure Time Physical Activity Among Adults 18 & over: 2006

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

26.4

31.0

0.9

Source: :CDC 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 73.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]

Regular Leisure Physical Activity Among Adults 18 & over: 2006

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

24.7

33.8

0.7

Source: :CDC 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 73.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]

Outpatient visits with counseling or education about exercise 2003-2004

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Men

8.9

9.2

1.0

Women

9.7

8.8

1.1

Total

9.4

9.0

1.0

Source: :2006 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 238.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr06/index.html

Percent of adults age 18 and over who were obese who were given advice about exercise, United States, 2004

Non-Hispanic Black

Non-Hispanic White

Non-Hispanic Black/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

55.1

62.6

0.9

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table 1.63.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr07/index.html

Percent of adults age 18 and over who were obese who were given advice about eating fewer high fat or high cholesterol foods, United States, 2004

Non-Hispanic Black

Non-Hispanic White

Non-Hispanic Black/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

44.5

52.8

0.8

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table 1.64.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr07/index.html

Diabetes:

Age-adjusted percentages of physician-diagnosed diabetes among persons 20 years of age and over, 2001-2004 (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES)

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

10.1

6.4

1.6

Source: :CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 55.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]

Age-adjusted percentages of persons 18 years of age and over with diabetes, 2006 (National Health Interview Survey, NHIS)

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

12.0

6.7

1.8

Source: : CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 8.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Age-Adjusted Diabetes Death Rates per 100,000 (2005)

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Male

51.7

25.6

2.0

Female

44.6

18.4

2.4

Total

47.7

21.5

2.2

Source: CDC, 2008. National Vital Statistic Report. Vol. 56, Num 10 Table 17.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_10.pdf[PDF, 2.3MB]

Heart Disease:

Age-adjusted percentages of coronary heart disease among persons 18 years of age and over, 2006

Non-Hispanic Black

Non-Hispanic White

Non-Hispanic Black/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

6.1

6.6

0.9

Source: : CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 2.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Age-Adjusted Heart Disease Death Rates per 100,000 (2005)

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Men

335.1

262.2

1.3

Women

231.9

170.3

1.4

Total

275.6

210.7

1.3

Source: CDC, 2008. National Vital Statistic Report. Vol. 56, Num 10 Table 17.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_10.pdf[PDF, 2.3MB]

Stroke:

Age-adjusted percentages of stroke among persons 18 years of age and over, 2006

African American

White

African American/ White Ratio

Men & Women

4.7

2.4

2.0

Men

4.8

2.8

1.7

Women

4.5

2.1

2.1

Source: : CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 2.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf[PDF, 3.7MB]

Age-Adjusted Stroke Death Rates per 100,000 (2005)

African American

Non-Hispanic White

African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio

Men

70.5

44.8

1.6

Women

60.7

44.4

1.4

Source: : CDC 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 37.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf[PDF, 475KB]

¹Source: OWH, 2007. http://www.4women.gov/minority/africanamerican/obesity.cfm
²Source: http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2006/Obesity2006Report.pdf Exit Disclaimer

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Content Last Modified: 1/7/2009 2:50:00 PM