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Obesity: Racial and Ethnicity Disparities in West Virginia
Obesity is a complex disorder in the United States affecting most adults. Different states have varying rates of obesity, with West Virginia leading in the proportion of people leaving with the disease compared to other states like Colorado. Numerous social, economic, and environmental factors contribute to racial disparities in obesity. The rates of obesity vary depending on race and ethnicity in West Virginia, with White non-Hispanics taking the lowest percentage compared to Blacks and Hispanics.
In West Virginia, non-Hispanic black individuals have the highest rates of obesity compared to other ethnic groups. They are a low-income group, and their neighborhoods have numerous fast food joints, which is a significant contributor to the obesity epidemic. Non-Hispanic black people are associated with inactive lifestyles and reduced access to healthy foodstuffs. Non-Hispanic Whites have the lowest obesity rates since they have higher income levels and limited fast food outlets, which reduces their risks of obesity. The middle-aged and older populations have an increased prevalence of the disease than young adults and children. Moreover, the vulnerable groups reside in geographically segregated regions in West Virginia. This disorder has led to poor productivity and increased cases of absenteeism in workplaces.
Food insecurity and increased obesity cases are directly connected and prevalent among low-income populations in West Virginia. Most non-Hispanic blacks are food insecure adults who consume cheap and high-energy foods, leading to excessive energy consumption, which causes obesity (Hernandez et al., 2017). There are significant differences between West Virginia and other states in terms of racial obesity disparities. For instance, the Nation has the highest number of obese people compared to Colorado, California, Washington, and Montana, which have the lowest obesity rate in the US. Obesity prevalence in these states ranges from 20% to 25% in proportion. Apart from the rapid increase in obese people at 35%, racial and ethnic disparities are rising in West Virginia.
The prevalence and racial or ethnicity differences in obesity rates depend primarily on income and education levels and behavioral patterns, social aspects, and access to convenient physical activity locations. Hispanics and Black people are lower-income earners and thus are associated with increased risks of the disorder. Their inability to comfortably afford healthy foods and beverages and accessible physical activity places expose them to obesity compared to White non-Hispanic individuals. Moreover, most ethnic minorities have limited education levels and are less exposed to the marketing of unhealthy food products (Ogden et al., 2017). They experience food insecurity and poor referrals to community organizations that offer obesity management services. They lack accessible dietary patterns, stress management, and sleeping patterns, contributing significantly to increased obesity. Most White non-Hispanic have reliable access to healthcare that offers self-management services compared to Hispanics and Blacks, hence having fewer obesity cases.
In conclusion, racial and ethnic obesity disparities are rampant in West Virginia, with non-Hispanic blacks taking the highest percentage of the disease compared to other populations. Hence, Black Americans are the lowest income group and have limited access to safe and low-energy foods compared to White non-Hispanic. Food insecurity, decreased income, low levels of education, and exposure to other social and environmental factors are the leading causes of obesity. Low-income populations have poor access to physical activity locations or communication organizations that offer obesity resources, exposing them to the obesity epidemic. The government of West Virginia should implement strategies that deal with food insecurity to reduce the chances of obesity.
References
Hernandez, D. C., Reesor, L. M., & Murillo, R. (2017). Food insecurity and adult overweight/obesity: Gender and race/ethnic disparities. Appetite, 117, 373-378. Web.
Ogden, C. L., Fakhouri, T. H., Carroll, M. D., Hales, C. M., Fryar, C. D., Li, X., & Freedman, D. S. (2017). Prevalence of obesity among adults, by household income and educationthe United States, 20112014. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 66(50), 1369. Web.
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