Culturally Tailored Nutrition Education Interventions: Why Focus on African American Women?

Abstract

According to the United States (US) 2010 census, African Americans (AA) represent 13% of the US population and are the second largest ethnic minority group in the country. However, as a group, the health status of AA is precarious from cradle to grave. A vast majority (80.5%) of AA women are either overweight or obese. As a result, they are more susceptible to a host of weight-related health issues, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, stroke, heart disease and diabetes. Notably, AA women have been reported to be less preoccupied with dieting and somewhat more tolerant of being overweight than white women. It has also been reported that the social environment of AA women is less negative about obesity than might be commonly assumed and that being overweight is not necessarily synonymous with being unattractive. Several lifestyle intervention trials have been designed specifically to promote physical activity and weight loss among AA. In spite of the fact that behavior changes have been documented in some participants, changes often are not sufficient to produce significant differences. This review paper explores how culturally tailored nutrition education delivered using an innovative approach such as an Internet-based platform may provide a deeper comprehension of the issues AA women face and help this population improve their health status and achieve a better quality of life. Keywords: IntroductionAccording to the United States (US) 2010 census, African Americans (AA) represent 13% of the US population and are the second largest ethnic minority group in the country [1]. As a group, the health status of AA is precarious from cradle to grave. A vast majority (80.5%) of AA women are either overweight or obese. As a result, they are more susceptible to a number of weight-related health issues, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, stroke, heart disease and diabetes [2].The World Health Organization (WHO) defines overweight and obesity as abnormal or excessive body fat that may impair health. WHO relies on the body mass index (BMI) cutoffs of 25 to 30 or higher in the assessment of overweight and obesity, respectively [3]. The BMI is a number resulting from dividing the weight in kilograms by the square of the height (Kg/m2) and the validity of this measurement has been questioned for years, especially among minorities. There are limitations in the use of the BMI index to define obesity prevalence in ethnic and racial groups [4]. The BMI measure does not adequately identify the percentage of body fat, nor does it distinguish between fat and lean tissue, or directly represent adiposity. AA women and men tend to have higher lean mass and lower fat mass compared to their white counterparts [3].Notably, AA women have been reported to be less preoccupied with dieting and somewhat more tolerant of being overweight than white women. Kumanyika et al. [5] suggested that the social environment of AA women is less negative about obesity than might be commonly assumed and ...