Study authors James White, Ph.D. and Russell Jago, Ph.D. summarized that Black girls have lower fat oxidation rates coupled with lower resting metabolic rates that predisposes them to retaining fat during puberty. Other contributing factors toward obesity in the higher risk group is a sedentary lifestyle (like television viewing) and the consumption of high calorie eats.
“Our results suggest that prompting adolescent girls to be active may be important to preventing obesity but that using different approaches (e.g. emphasizing reductions in energy intake) may be necessary to prevent obesity in Black girls,” the authors wrote.
This latest research comes on the heels of a frightening trend of obesity among Black women: An overwhelming 78 percent of African-American women are overweight or obese, which is the highest in the country for all women, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, Black women are 35 percent more likely to die of heart disease.
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