As society remains image focused, one’s appearance shapes perceptions in all arenas, before a word is even uttered. When someone is plus-sized or obese, these perceptions are often negative, ushering in the proverbial elephant in the room: in this case, weight-based discrimination. According to a report by Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, 43% of overweight people reported having experienced weight bias from employers and supervisors. The report also notes that compared with job applicants with the same qualifications, obese applicants are rated more negatively and are less likely to be hired.

McKinney admits that in the past, she has scrutinized plus-sized and obese job applicants during interviews, taking note of how they’re breathing, their body posture, and their overall state of health. “I think I was justified [as a human resources professional at a manufacturing company] asking certain questions because the interviews were for physical labor jobs,” McKinney says. On the other side of that, she says she faced similar scrutiny for jobs that required very little physical activity. “I have overheard individuals in my direct line of upper management speaking on my ‘laziness,’ and saying things like, ‘All fat people like to do is eat and sleep anyway.’”

From issues relating to health premiums, financial liability, and on-the-job competency, some companies see plus-size and obesity as a major red flag. “There’s a concern if you’re overweight because companies think about how the probability of that person having a health issue is greater,” says Eral Burks, president and CEO of Minority Executive Search, an executive recruitment company.  “Companies really want a healthy workforce. If there’s a plus-sized person, that doesn’t mean they’re unhealthy, but there are questions that come to mind, especially if it’s a job where you’re moving around a lot.”

Continued on next page…

Whether right or wrong, weight can play a major part in career advancement (Source: Thinkstock)

As the ranks get higher, the scrutiny increases. “In your high-level positions, you are interacting with C-suite individuals and you’re very active,” says Burks. “You have to be able to keep up with the hustle. It’s a very active job, and if you are overweight it might pose quite a challenge… I have never been in a [C-suite] meeting where there is someone who is 400 lbs… Your senior VPs, CEOs, CFOs… these individuals at that level belong to a gym or fitness program. They incorporate fitness into their lifestyle.”

McKinney acknowledges size was a major part of the challenges she faced trying to move into corporate America. “No one wants to walk into a board meeting and look at a 400 lb black woman running the show,” she says. “I’ve had mentors all but tell me I needed to lose weight to move up.”

Since leaving the human resources industry, McKinney has lost more than 100 lbs from her 5’8″ frame, slimming down to just over 270 lbs. “I have noticed that, even in being an independent contractor, I have gotten more referrals and more respect from my peers,” she says.

Currently, there are no federal laws that prohibit discrimination against overweight individuals. As a result, most people who fight weight discrimination must use other legal statutes, such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The only state where its illegal to discriminate because of weight is Michigan. And according to the Rudd Center For Food Policy & Obesity, most weight discrimination cases fall into the employment discrimination category, and many are unsuccessful.

Both McKinney and Burks agree that though weight bias and discrimination exists, that doesn’t make it right or good for business. “Any form of discrimination is inappropriate,” Burks says. “If you are qualified and you have the talent, you should get the job.”

McKinney urges professionals to know their rights and fight for them. “People unjustly assume that because you are obese that you are lazy, unhealthy, and eat 24/7,”  she says. “You have to work three times as hard as anyone else, so get in there and show them that you not only deserve to be there, but that it is in their best interest to keep you there.”

If you feel you’ve been discriminated against because of weight:

• Document incidents in detail when they happen. Like any case of discrimination, a paper log is vital if you plan to pursue legal action.
• If you have been the target of office jokes, bullying, or inappropriate behavior toward you based on your weight, take your grievance to your human resources department and/or supervisor. It is best to approach the issue as you would any other issue of inappropriate behavior in the office that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
• Be prepared for a challenge if seeking legal action. Proving discrimination based on weight can be difficult. No federal laws exist that make weight discrimination illegal, and Michigan is the only state where weight discrimination is illegal. Some states also have inclusions in statutes listing weight among factors that cannot be used to discriminate in cases of employment.
• Do your research. Find resources and support with organizations such as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) and the Council on Size and Weight Acceptance.

For more on workplace issues and discrimination, check out:

• On the Job: Dealing with Religious Discrimination in the Office
• On the Job: Should HIV Status Be an Office Secret?

There’s nothing wrong with fried chicken. I enjoy a good drumstick every now and again just as much as the next man (or woman), but, as we all know, there’s a long-stemming stereotype about Black folks and their alleged love of fried chicken. Despite people from all walks of life enjoying this Southern delicacy, there’s still a negative connotation that comes to mind whenever I think of a person of color and chicken. That’s why I found it disheartening when I caught word last November that former Public Enemy hypeman turned reality TV star Flavor Flav (born William Drayton Jr.) was planning to open a chain of fast food restaurants dubbed Flav’s Fried Chicken.

I initially shook it off as one of those ideas that would never get off the ground, just another one of those “celebrity” rants that would amount to a whole lot of nothing. Well, to my dismay, I found out earlier today that the first FFC franchise was real and officially open for business in Clinton, Iowa. In an almost seven-minute video interview, Flav explained how he and partner Nick Cimino got the business off the ground. I watched in disbelief as Flav broke down his deep-frying technique to a White journalist on site to cover the opening of the restaurant.

I’m all for entrepreneurship and people of color starting their own businesses; but something in this scenario just doesn’t sit well with me. A Black man opening a chicken shack in the heart of Middle America (read primarily White) seems more like a big joke, but I checked the calendar and April’s Fools Day is still two months away. Some could argue that this is better than another Flavor of Love “reality” show; but is it really? Obesity, heart disease and hypertension are serious issues in our community, and here we have one of our own shelling out buckets of grease-soaked chicken. Why couldn’t we get a Flavor Flav Juice Bar or a Flavor Flav Organic Supermarket instead?

To make matters worse, Flav isn’t alone. A couple weeks ago Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, along with his mother, sister and first cousin, invested in Buffalo Boss, a Brooklyn, NY-based chicken wing restaurant. A part of me expects such moves from Flav, but I would have expected a bit more from someone like Jay-Z. It’s almost as head scratching as the Obama Fried Chicken that opened in Brownsville, Brooklyn in early 2009 as a form of “tribute” to President Obama. I can’t speak for our Commander-In-Chief, but I’m quite sure he’d much rather a school or hospital named after him than a random takeout spot.

Perhaps I’m being too sensitive and reading too much into the politics of poultry but given the racial implications, and, more importantly, the health concerns associated with funneling more fast food into our community, I feel like there’s a problem with fried chicken that needs to be addressed. Actually, it has less to do with what goes into the deep fryer and more to do with the people that would rather serve up stereotypes than actual food for thought. If Flavor Flav, and those in positions of power like him, truly wants to be considered a keen businessman, I’d rather he do something that adds value to the overall health of the community instead of presenting another value(less) meal.

What are your thoughts on the racial connotations associated with people of color and chicken, as well as celebrities who endorse chicken franchises? Share your voice in the comments section.

United Health Group's Dr. Reed Tuckson, a frontline warrior in the battle against obesity among African Americans: "We must take control of our lives."

One of life’s greatest tragedies is witnessing a talented professional or entrepreneur about to reach the pinnacle of success who is cut down in his or her prime. Such untimely deaths rob us of major contributors whose energy, intellect, and ability could have helped move our communities, industries, and nation forward. What’s even more tragic is the victim usually winds up being the culprit. Far too many African Americans engage in behavior that proves to be deleterious to their health and commits them to premature death sentences.

Part of the problem is connected to a condition most of us can avoid or reverse: obesity. This disorder continues to be a weighty issue and it’s literally killing us, morphing into deadly diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a staggering 45% of African American adults are obese. And for black women the statistics are even more alarming: the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health reports that four out of five black women are either overweight or obese. As a result, African Americans have become twice as likely as whites to be diagnosed with diabetes and 40% more liable to contend with high blood pressure. Moreover, black men have a 60% greater probability of dying from a stroke than their white counterparts.

So who’s at risk? It could very well be you. Building a business or advancing in the workplace requires intense focus and long hours—believe me, I know. But I’ve seen far too many business people—including a number of close friends—work so hard that they place health concerns way on the back burner. Others have found convenient excuses to miss gym dates as well as doctor’s appointments. UnitedHealth Group Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs Dr. Reed V. Tuckson, one of BE’s 100 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America, has an uncompromising view when it comes to African Americans and health: “At the end of the day, we’ve got to get past blaming someone else. We [must] take control of our lives.” (For more from Dr. Tuckson, read “Obesity: The Silent Killer.”)

I wholeheartedly agree. Even though I spend countless hours running my company and dealing with an array of business and personal matters, I made the decision to make my health a priority. Six days a week, I rise at 6 a.m. and hit the gym for a vigorous workout. In fact, what I used to consider a sacrifice has become a treasured part of my day. No interruptions, phone calls, or impromptu meetings. My workouts represent my personal sanctuary where I de-stress or think through problems. The residual benefits: I’m much stronger and not prone to the fatigue and irritability that force worn-out execs to make poor business decisions during the course of a long, grueling day. To complement the workout regimen is a healthy diet. This approach has pushed me to become more disciplined, scheduling every workout session and meal as I would a business appointment. The ritual doesn’t stop when I travel either; I make sure I’m booked at hotels with outstanding gym facilities.

I’m not sharing my personal workout program to get compliments, rather I’m doing this because I strongly believe it is important for business people to adopt a healthy lifestyle so they can be in peak condition, handling challenges with focus and dynamism. Too many black executives and entrepreneurs die in their 40s and 50s as they reach the peak of their earnings and power, never fully realizing the benefits of decades of hard work.

Despite decades of strenuous activity as a high school, college, and professional athlete, I’ve had my challenges over the years adhering to such a strict routine. But I’ve learned, as I hope most of you will, that a brisk walk to a fried chicken restaurant offers zero benefits. I am determined to stay the course because I fully appreciate the value of longevity and vitality. True success comes with a healthy mind and strong body.

Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. is the president and CEO of Black Enterprise.

The Klumps may be funny, but obesity in black families is literally as serious as a heart attack.

Obesity is an epidemic that is killing Americans and costing the health care system $80 billion a year.  If that’s not alarming enough news for you, how about this?

Obesity is growing faster than any previous chronic health issue our nation has faced. Today, more than one in four Americans are considered obese. According to America’s Health Rankings (www.americashealthrankings.org) if current trends continue, 103 million American adults — or 43 percent of the population — will be considered obese by 2018. Left unchecked, in 2018 alone, obesity will add nearly $344 billion to the nation’s annual direct health care costs, accounting for more than 21 percent of health care spending.

Indeed, obesity is fueling a tsunami of preventable health problems, from diabetes and hypertension to cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory disease.

Many public health experts, physicians and others – including myself –  believe that obesity has become equal to, and will exceed, tobacco use as the most significant risk factor for death and disease in the nation. This is not surprising. Considering that, while tobacco continues to produce extraordinary health consequences, tobacco use has declined slightly in the past 20 years, while obesity is on a dangerous, and as yet unchecked, upward trajectory.

Obesity is also an epidemic that is taking a particularly significant toll on some of our most vulnerable citizens: communities of color and low-income families. African Americans were 1.4 times as likely to be obese as non- Hispanic Whites in 2007, according  to the Department of Health and Human Services.  African American women have the highest rates of being overweight or obese with about four out of five African American women considered overweight or obese. In Mississippi and Alabama, approximately 41% of the adult population is obese.  To see where your state ranks – and the future projections – go to www.americashealthrankings.org/2009/spotlight.aspx .

As a regular Black Enterprise reader and a supporter of minority-owned businesses, I am especially concerned about the implications of this data on the affordability of health insurance and the impact on the productivity of the minority workforce. These obesity stats will lead to  sicker people, with higher health care costs, who will lose time from work. Lost work time negatively impacts the economic vitality of black-owned businesses. We must get on top of this national public health problem now.

The question, therefore,  is:  What can we do to reverse this alarming and potentially deadly trend?

First, it’s up to parents to help tackle this health care crisis. When confronted with very limited budgets, families are more inclined to make food purchases based on cost rather than nutritional value.  In addition, many lower-income neighborhoods don’t have convenient grocery stores that are reasonably priced. Yet another factor that plays into this epidemic is that some families lack the knowledge or resources to prepare cost-effective meals that are healthy and can last longer. This is a critical issue, as limited  food choice is associated with a range of health issues, including obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three children in the U.S. is obese or overweight, putting them on the road to lifelong chronic conditions like hypertension, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

From a child’s first breath, the top priority for every parent is to ensure that child is properly fed, meaning enough, but not more than he or she needs Tips for healthy nutrition, including what to eat and how much, can be found at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan .

Physicians, nutritionists, schools and health care companies all share a responsibility to help educate parents in healthy nutrition. Unfortunately, more and more children are eating too much and too many of the wrong things.

Next, we need to commit to exercising and moving our bodies. If you’re not exercising regularly, then start today. Exercising does not have to mean joining a gym or buying expensive equipment. It can mean walking, gardening, swimming, playing active games with kids, praise or ballroom dancing, or “vigorous” house work.  Get started by visiting www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/children .

(And, by the way ladies, is your hairstyle a barrier to exercising? If so, it’s time to put your SURVIVAL first. After all, what’s more important?)

Finally, all of us have a responsibility to urge government and business to do more to combat obesity. If we don’t do something about it, the health care costs tied to obesity will more than quadruple in eight years.

If you are a member of a church, civic association, fraternity or sorority (and I bet many of you are), you can mobilize these organizations to change the communities touched by these organizations.  Are there safe, accessible walking and biking trails? Advocate for the creation of them. Do the schools that serve your children have healthy food choices and PE programs? Lobby the school administration. Are there adequate healthy choices at the supermarkets near you? Work with the store managers to change that.

Obesity is tipping the scales as one of the nation’s biggest problems, but as First Lady Michelle Obama has pointed out, this is the first time in history that children may have shorter life expectancies than their parents.  Mrs. Obama is on a mission to change that. Working together, at the national, local and individual levels, we can make real and lasting progress.

Reed V. Tuckson, M.D., is Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs at UnitedHealth Group, and is responsible for working with all of the company’s business units to improve the quality and efficiency of health services. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the United Health Foundation. Dr. Tuckson is also ranked among the Black Enterprise 100 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America.

“In no way, form, or fashion was there any intent to discriminate or to insinuate that we were discriminating against a group of people,” says Lincoln University President Ivory V. Nelson of the policy that was instituted in 2005.

The Lincoln faculty decided earlier this month that all undergraduate students will be required to take a general health class instead. At the conclusion of that class, the professor will recommend, but not require, a fitness class for those students who they believe are at risk for hypokinetic disease (obesity) based on a battery of health risk appraisals, not just BMI.

BMI is a measure of a person’s body fat based on height and weight, but experts argue that it is a crude measurement that can be inaccurate.

There is a strong association between obesity and hypertension and diabetes, says Dr. Thomas LaVeist, director of the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In addition, obesity increases the risk to joint problems, asthma, and sleep apnea, which increases the likelihood of getting congestive heart failure. 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, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

“I applaud Lincoln University for trying to do something proactive to deal with an extremely serious problem and a particularly important problem among African Americans,” says LaVeist. “However I think their mistake was assuming that physical and nutritional education should only be given to people with a BMI over 30.”

Dr. Ilene Fennoy, clinical professor of pediatrics at Columbia University College called the old policy “pejorative” but agreed that there is nothing wrong with requiring every student to pass a fitness class to graduate from college.

“Everybody is missing the point. The point is not BMI,” says Fennoy, who was listed on Black Enterprise’s List of Top Doctors. “The issue is that everybody needs to exercise. If we don’t teach it anywhere in the system, [it won’t] be a surprise that we spend 50% of our healthcare dollars for diseases that result as a function of obesity.”

Student Tianna Y. Lawson wrote in the Lincolnian, the school’s student newspaper, that the policy infringed on her right of personal choice. However, people who are overweight and obese do not have special protection under anti-discrimination laws, says Samantha Graff, director of legal research at the National Policy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity.

Graff recommends that private institutions promote healthier lifestyles without singling out a particular group of people. For example, they can open stairwells and provide free access to the gym to encourage exercise, get rid of junk food in campus vending machines, and/or sponsor a community garden or farmer’s market.

RESOURCES

Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University

Obesity in African Americans

Active Living Research to Prevent Childhood Obesity and Support Active Communities

A Legal Primer for the Obesity Prevention Movement

The United States currently spends more per capita than any other nation on healthcare, including $1.5 trillion in medical costs associated with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, according to a report from the United Health Foundation released Tuesday. These diseases are said to have a direct link to smoking and obesity, the nation’s two largest national risk factors.

“We know that the results and the consequences of these [preventable diseases] will show themselves in … ultimately a worsening of health disparities and a shortening of lifespan,” says Dr. Reed Tuckson, executive vice president and chief of medical affairs for UnitedHealth Group.

An analysis of the study shows that America now spends $80 billion in direct healthcare costs associated with obesity. At this rate, obesity will add nearly $344 billion to the nation’s annual healthcare costs by 2018 and account for more than 21% of healthcare spending.

“This is not only incompatible with meaningful survival it is incompatible with affordability for healthcare,” says Dr. Tuckson.

Obesity has increased nearly 130% since the first edition of the report, “America’s Health Rankings,” was issued 20 years ago. While 27% of the population is currently obese, almost 37% of African Americans are obese. In fact, the prevalence of obesity among African Americans increased by 42% in the past 10 years, according to the report.

The report also provides an annual ranking of the healthiness of each state. Ohio ranked No. 1 as the state with the highest prevalence of obesity (43.1%) among African Americans compared with whites in the state (27.7%), and Virginia led the country in the incidences of diabetes among African Americans (14.9%) compared with 7% of whites.

Because obesity plays such a huge part in other chronic illnesses and since the prevalence of obesity among African Americans is so high, then African Americans will carry a higher burden of the economic costs of these illnesses and it will significantly affect the stability of the black family, Dr. Tuckson says.

The prevalence of smoking, the other risk factor that results in preventable chronic diseases, decreased among African Americans by 7% in the past 10 years. Yet, African Americans still smoke at a higher rate than the national average.

The United Health Foundation will publish tips, tools and programs online, including a searchable database that can be used to find out how each state — and the nation — rates now compared to 20 years ago; and an obesity cost calculator that highlights current national and state-specific costs of obesity and projects future costs.

The foundation, which published the findings in partnership with the American Public Health Association, and the Partnership for Prevention, hope individuals, elected officials, healthcare professionals, employers, and communities use the findings to improve the health of American citizens by implementing methods of prevention.

Howard University will receive $800,000

The Department of the Interior Friday announced the that 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will receive $14.25 million for historic preservation grants aimed to assist in the repair of buildings on their campuses. The funds were made available under the Recovery Act.

“The recovery funds not only will restore historic buildings on these campuses but also will provide a boost to individuals and companies performing the repairs, college communities and related local economies,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said today.

The repairs will address issues such as termite and wood rot damage, leaking roofs, asbestos removal, masonry work, electrical rewiring, heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems and achieving accessibility for disabled persons.

Schools receiving grants and amount awarded
1. Alcorn State University — $400,000
2. Allen University– $1,000,000
3. Bennett College– $400,000
4. Central State University — $1,750,000
5. Cheyney University — $300,000
6. Clark Atlanta University — $ 400,000
7. Dillard University — $800,000
8. Elizabeth City State University — $500,000
9. Fisk University — $989,516
10. Florida A&M University — $700,000
11. Harris Stowe State University — $1,000,000
12. Howard University — $800,000
13. Kentucky State University — $1,000,000
14. Langston University — $500,000
15. Meharry Medical College — $1,000,000
16. St. Paul’s College — $349,706/$245,000
17. Talladega College — $700,000
18. Tougaloo College — $829,007
19. West Virginia State University — $123,570
20. Xavier University — $463,201

— Deborah Creighton Skinner

Mistrust of Media Rises Among Blacks

African Americans’ distrust of the news media is on the rise, outpacing that of whites, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. The study, released last week, shows that overall distrust of the media is the highest its been in the 20-year history of the survey.

“We show that the share of blacks in the survey who said that news stories are often inaccurate is at 68% up from 47% the last time we did they study in 2007,” says Michael Dimock, assistant director at Pew Research Center for People and the Press.

The number of non-Hispanic whites who said stories in the news are often inaccurate jumped six percentage points to 62% over the same two year period. Blacks are also distrustful when it comes to biases in the news with 69% saying press tends to be skewed when reporting on political and social issues, this is jump of 15 percentage points since the survey was last conducted in 2007.

Reasons behind such a sharp rise may be partly due to the President Barack Obama. “Criticism of the press has increased substantially among African Americans and its linked to a similar increase among Democrats,” Dimock says. “When your party or candidate is the president, that crucial press coverage is often seen as overly critical or bias.

Just 29% of Americans say that news organizations generally get the facts straight, while 63% say that news stories are often inaccurate. In the initial survey conducted in1985, 55% people surveyed said news stories were accurate while 34% said they were inaccurate.

This Pew Research Center biennial study sample size consisted of 1,506 people and was conducted in July.

– Renita Burns

Stimulus Funds to Target Obesity, Smoking

A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services initiative to decrease obesity and smoking could also help decrease health disparities that affect blacks and Hispanics.

With nearly 37% of African-American children and 43% of Mexican-American children obese or overweight, compared with about 32% of white children, ethnic communities can apply for grants to improve access to healthy foods and physical activities. These Communities Putting Prevention to Work grants can also be used to enact smoking cessation programs, since African Americans are more likely to develop and die from lung cancer than any other racial or ethnic group.

“Chronic diseases linked to obesity, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and tobacco use are the leading causes of death and disability in our nation,” said Thomas Frieden, director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “These additional resources will improve the quality of life for millions of Americans.”

Organizations can apply through the Chronic Disease Prevention in U.S. Communities program. Funded by the Recovery Act, the $650 million initiative, allots $373 million to policies, such as clean-indoor-air laws and/or physical education programs, and the remainder will be used for additional support and evaluation.

“Black and Latino Americans are hit hardest by the dual crises of obesity and diabetes,” said Angela Glover Blackwell, CEO of PolicyLink and an advisor for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity. “These new funds will put us on a path toward healthy communities for all.”

PolicyLink, an organization that advocates for economic and social equity, has previously petitioned the White House to provide funding for programs that promote healthy food in schools and communities and healthy and safe places to live and play.

– Marcia Wade Talbert

NFL Urges Men to Know Their Prostate Cancer Stats

Just in time for National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the National Football League (NFL) has teamed up with the American Urological Association (AUA) Foundation to raise awareness among men, particularly African American men.

“We encourage men to be as passionate about their health as they are about their favorite NFL teams and players,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a statement.

Part of the organizations’ “Know Your Stats About Prostate Cancer” campaign, which kicked off Sept. 16, 27 retired NFL Hall of Famers recorded a public service announcement urging men to get tested, including prostate cancer survivor Michael Haynes, Tony Dorsett, “Mean” Joe Greene, and Michael Irvin.

According to the American Cancer Society, one in every six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. African American men are more than twice as likely to die from the disease as white men.

To fight the disease, the AUA has issued new guidelines recommending that men 40 and older talk with their doctors about prostate cancer testing. A physical exam and blood test to determine your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score could help save your life

For more information on prostate cancer testing and the “Know Your Stats” campaign, visit KnowYourStats.org.

– Janell P. Hazelwood

New Tool Tracks Cardiovascular Disease

The National Minority Quality Forum launched a new database to help increase awareness about the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.) and to identify groups that may be most affected.

The P.A.D. Atlas maps by zip code the disease’s prevalence down to the street level. Users can create color-coded maps that depict national, state, county, and city P.A.D. prevalence. The database can also search by age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

P.A.D. is a type of cardiovascular disease that doubles the risk of a heart attack or stroke and primarily affects individuals over 50 years of age.

Approximately nine million Americans suffer from P.A.D., and of that number more than one million African Americans have been diagnosed.

“There are 38,000 zip codes [in the atlas], and 87% of African Americans that have P.A.D. live in 8,615 of those zip codes,” said Gary Puckrein, CEO and founder of the NMQF, an organization that works to eliminate disparities in ethnic minorities. “There are risk communities out there. Now that we know where they are we want to make sure they get appropriate therapy.”

The cities with the most diagnosed cases of P.A.D. are Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, Houston, and Los Angeles.

P.A.D. is even more common in African Americans and Hispanics who have diabetes, reports the Peripheral Arterial Disease Coalition, an alliance of health professionals and government agencies. The NMQF collaborated with the coalition and drew support from the Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership to develop the database.

In addition to the P.A.D. Atlas, the NMQF also developed atlases for kidney disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and HIV/AIDS. They also plan to release an obesity atlas and an acute coronary syndrome/stroke atlas for 2009.

Researchers, patient advocacy groups, legislators, and health professionals can use the constantly updated database to direct educational resources to communities most affected by the disease.

– Marcia Wade Talbert

The study found that in 40 states, obesity rates among blacks was at least 30%. And in five of those states, Alabama, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, and Oregon, the occurrence of obesity among blacks was 40% or higher. The prevalence of obesity is 51% higher for blacks than for whites, and Hispanics had a 21% higher obesity prevalence compared with whites.

“[These results] document that the prevalence in those communities is really high and it may justify the need for funding in policy and environmental changes,” said Bettylou Sherry, Ph.D., lead epidemiologist on the research and surveillance team at the CDC’s division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity. “I think this actually may well represent an opportunity for blacks to get involved in helping to develop these programs.”

During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States among all races, according to the CDC. Obesity, which is determined by using weight and height to calculate the amount of body fat, has been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems, including type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension.

The prevalence of obesity for blacks ranged from 23% to 45.1% among all states and the District of Columbia, reports the CDC, which collected data from 2006 to 2008. Comparatively, the prevalence of obesity for whites ranged from 9% to 30.2%, with only West Virginia having a prevalence of 30% or more.

On July 27-29, 2009, the CDC will host a conference on obesity prevention and control.

–Marcia A. Wade

Consumers Cutting Back on Credit Card Purchases

Reluctant credit card holders clenched their plastic even tighter in May, sending card balances downward, according to data released by the Federal Reverse Board.

Revolving credit, comprised almost entirely of credit card debt, declined at an annualized rate of 3.7%, according to consumer credit data compiled released earlier this month by the Fed.

“For a lot of people, their credit card limits have been reduced and some have found themselves forced to pay down balances without the ability to charge anything else,” says Lee Baker, president of Apex Financial Services Inc. With a national economy built upon consumer spending, a pullback in credit card purchases will slow down short-term economic recovery, while boosting the long-term outlook, Baker says.

“On an individual basis, people are getting their financial house in order, even if in many cases it’s because they were forced to do so,” Baker says.

Signaling consumer uneasiness as the recession lengthens, revolving debt fell to $928 billion, a 3.5% drop from $962 billion, year-over-year. The decline also marks the eighth consecutive month revolving debt ebbed.

Increased frugality among African Americans may also serve to narrow the black-white wealth gap which has widened in recent years, according to a study released by the Fed. For every dollar of wealth held by the typical white family in 2007, a black family has only one dime, compared to 12 cents in 2007.

“This recession will change people’s [saving and spending habits] the same way depression changed people 70 years ago. I think that will help close the wealth gap between African Americans and white,” Baker says.

– Renita Burns

Achievement Gap Persists Among Black, White Students

Though reading and math scores improved for black adolescents in public schools, a recent federal study has found that the achievement gap between black and white students remains wide.

Based on a 500-point scale, black students scored about 28 points lower than white students on their reading and math tests, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.

The center’s findings were based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federal measure of student achievement in reading, math, and science, with figures from 1992 to 2007.

The report constitutes the first major one conducted by the Education Department since President Barack Obama took office.

A separate report comparing Hispanic and white children is due out next fall.

Highlights of the report include:

At the eighth grade level, mathematics gaps existed in 2007 in the 41 states for which results were available. The gaps were narrower in 2007 than in 1990 in four states: Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas. In all four, scores for both black and white students increased, but scores for black students had a higher increase.

Reading gaps at that level existed in 2007 in 41 of the 42 states for which results were available. In Hawaii, the 7-point difference between black and white students’ scores in 2007 was not statistically significant, and thus there was no gap for Hawaii. There was no significant change in the gap in any state from 1998 to 2007.

–Janell Hazelwood