Disparity Starts Early for Obesity Risk
Not only is the risk of overweight and obesity greater among black children, but also the tendencies begin to develop at a much earlier age than in whites, according to new research.
A group of investigators from Indiana University, Purdue University, and the Indianapolis VA Medical Center conducted a study of blood pressure in 924 students in two public schools, one representing a lower socioeconomic status and the other more affluent. Researchers collected height and weight data for each participant.
As other groups have found, blacks were at greater risk of becoming overweight than whites. However, analysis of data revealed that 25% of blacks were overweight or at risk of overweight by 7 years of age, while the same proportion wasn't reached until 11 years in white females and 10 years in white males.
The differences in age of onset among racial groups are striking. Twenty-five percent of black females were overweight or at risk by age 10, compared with 10% of white females. Similarly, 25% of black males were overweight by age 13, while the same percentage of white males were overweight by age 16.
The research suggests that interventions aimed at prevention should begin earlier in blacks, perhaps as early as infancy, in order to avoid the toll of obesity and its comorbidities. There may be a need for programs catering to a younger black population, investigators conclude.
