The Production of Obesity among African American Women (Powerpoint)
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Transcript of The Production of Obesity among African American Women (Powerpoint)
THE PRODUCTION OF OBESITY AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN: “A MATRIX OF
DOMINATION”
Christopher NdubuizuUC Berkeley-McNair Symposium
Faculty Mentor: Denise Herd, Ph.D.Department: School of Public Health
August 6, 2011
•According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] (2008) 54% of African American women are obese compared to 30% of Non-Hispanic White women
•Obesity increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke etc. (National Institute of Health, 2011)
BACKGROUND
Literature ReviewSocial Determinants of Health: Environment Behavior/Culture Socioeconomic Status
RESEARCH QUESTION
What is the interrelatedness of race and obesity in public health
literature when discussing African American women?
Obesity/Race Obesity is defined as an excess amount
of body fat in which one’s BMI (Body Mass Index) is greater than 30
Race is a hierarchal organization of the world’s populations that establishes inferiority and superiority which is organized by skin color in the U.S. context. Historically, race has been proposed to be biological.
Methods Five secondary sources that were
published in academic journals discussing obesity among African American women.
Theoretical Framework1. Chandra Ford: Public Health Critical Race
Praxis (Critical Race Theory)
Themes Aesthetics Lifestyle
FindingsAesthetics-“Having an artificially produced texture of
hair that is not “exercise friendly” could have a conscious or subconscious effect on the decision to risk exercise. Many women, after paying for hair treatment, opt to avoid exercise and its associated sweating, which thereby negates their investment until after a period of time passes pending other more highly prioritized activities (Railey, 2000).”
Findings cont’d…Lifestyle- “68% of African American women
reported less than 20 minutes of leisure time physical activity per week…the rise of technology cannot be ignored as a factor in sedentary lifestyles. The use of computers and labor-reducing devices in the workforce has improved productivity while reducing the physical exertion once needed to fulfill work-related activities (Hawkins, 2007).”
Discussion The literature doesn’t address the
complexities of a racial experience Lacks the acknowledgment of a structural
hierarchy in society. The absence of discussing the
complexities of a racial experience in public health discourse perpetuates a system of domination.
“…the enslaved African women became the basis for the definition of our society’s Other.”
-Barbara Christian Patricia Hill Collins “Black Feminist
Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment. “
Acknowledgements Rekia Jibrin & McNair Staff Mentor Denise Herd, PhD McNair Scholars