Perceived racism linked to weight gain, Boston researchers say

Boston Globe ^ | May 26, 2009 | Elizabeth Cooney

[reaganaut1]

Perceptions of racism -- from being treated with suspicion in a store to unfairness in employment or housing -- can heighten stress levels and affect health, research has shown. A new study from Boston University links these smoldering signs of racism to weight gain in black women, suggesting a possible explanation for the their higher obesity rates compared to white women.

Yvette Cozier, an epidemiologist at the Slone Epidemiology Center at BU, led a survey of more than 43,000 women enrolled in the long-running Black Women's Health Study. Writing in the June issue of Annals of Epidemiology, she and her co-authors describe participants' reports on their weight, body mass index, and perceptions of racism.

At the beginning of the eight-year study, the women were asked if they sometimes felt they were treated poorly in a restaurant or store, whether they thought people considered them dishonest or less intelligent, and if they had felt unfairness on the job, in housing, or from police. The women, 21 to 69 years old at the study's outset, were placed in four groups based on how frequently they said they experienced these signs of racism. Their weight was recorded every two years from 1997 through 2005. Their waist circumference was measured at the beginning and end.

At the end of the trial, all the women had gained weight. But the women who said they felt higher levels of racism gained more weight and had bigger waist-size increases compared to the women who felt the least racism. That held true after accounting for factors such as education, geographic region, and beginning body mass index.

"Racism is real and it has real effects," Cozier said in an interview. "It can result in real changes in the body."

[Salamander]

Have you tried a TENS unit cranked up to the “ZAP!!!” setting?

I have one and you’d have to fight me to the death for it....:))

2 Hours of cheerfully electrocuting my lower back and I’m good for *days*.

“They” don’t know how/why it works and *I* don’t really care...it hasn’t killed me yet....LOL

[I even taken it with me on the Harley. The wires go under my shirt and the small unit clips on the waistband of my pants. It’s gotten me home many a time when I otherwise wouldn’t have made it]

[GOPJ]

I perceive that criminals don't like me.

and that's keeping me from being a multimillionaire.

So it's their fault I'm not rich. Their fault I'm not rich beyond my wildest dreams...

I'm blameless.

I have an excuse.

Someone to blame.

I'm a victim!

I want A C O R N to help me.

/sarcasm

[Salamander]

“I forgot to add bare footed, retarded red neck, hill billy with 2 teeth from Arkansas. ;0) “

We might be related!

[and getcher wife a clothespin for her nose!]

[Snurple]

Just so you know....according to the article....if you are white...you are responsible for this.....

It all your fault....dont bother trying to blame some else.

[seemoAR]

Hey Cuz, I forgot to write I keep my wife barefoot and pregnant. We get along fine til she steals my chaw of tobacco and tries to use my spit can. She don't need no clothes pin, we take baths together every other Saturday even if we don't need one. It takes too long to draw the water from the well, heat it over our wood burning stove and fill the washtub. We all use the same water and the kids take a bath after we are done. Sometimes it looks as it the youngest one is dirtier after his bath. ;0)

[seemoAR]

I haven't tried the TENS. My Doctor has me on Neurontin now. It seems to dull the pain some. I had a severe head injury several years ago and have a lot of trouble with pain and nerves. I also had an arm that was torn open and messed up the nerves going to my fingers. The funny bone sensation is now in my wrist. My arm starts hurting when my back hurts. ;0)