More Blacks Are Fatter Than Blacks

16 Jul 2009 15:43 Africa/Lagos

New Obesity Data Shows Blacks Have the Highest Rates of Obesity

Embargoed for Thursday, July 16, 2009, at 12 p.m. ET


Blacks had 51 percent higher prevalence of obesity, and Hispanics had 21 percent higher obesity prevalence compared with whites, according to researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


Greater prevalences of obesity for blacks and whites were found in the South and Midwest than in the West and Northeast. Hispanics in the Northeast had lower obesity prevalence than Hispanics in the Midwest, South or West. The study, in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, examined data from 2006-2008.


"This study highlights that in the United States, blacks and Hispanics are disproportionately affected by obesity,'' said Dr. William H. Dietz, Director of CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, "If we have any hope of stemming the rise in obesity, we must intensify our efforts to create an environment for healthy living in these communities."


The study uses data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BRFSS is an ongoing, state-based, random-digit-dialed telephone survey of the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population aged 18 years and older.


The study found that in 40 states, obesity prevalence among blacks was 30 percent or more. In five of those states, Alabama, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, and Oregon, obesity prevalence among blacks was 40 percent or greater.


For blacks, the prevalence of obesity ranged from 23 percent to 45.1 percent among all states and the District of Columbia; among Hispanics in 50 states and DC, the prevalence of obesity ranged from 21 percent to 36.7 percent, with 11 states having an obesity prevalence of 30 percent or higher. Among whites in 50 states and the District of Columbia, the prevalence of obesity ranged from 9 percent to 30.2 percent, with only West Virginia having a prevalence of 30 percent or more.


"We know that racial and ethnic differences in obesity prevalence are likely due to both individual behaviors, as well as differences in the physical and social environment,'' said Liping Pan, M.D., M.P.H., lead author and epidemiologist. "We need a combination of policy and environmental changes that can create opportunities for healthier living."


For this study analysis, CDC analyzed the 2006 2008 BRFSS data. For more information on obesity trends, tables, including an animated map, visit http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html. To learn more about CDC's efforts in the fight against obesity or for more information about nutrition, physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight, visit http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao.


CONTACT: CDC Division of Media Relations, +1-404-639-3286


/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- July 16/


Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Web Site: http://www.cdc.gov/


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American Lawmakers To Pass Law Against Obesity

Photo Credit: Freaking News.Com

As the fears of economic depression increase in America, the critical situation could be the answer to check the expanding waistlines of Americans and in fact American lawmakers are considering Legislation to Reduce Obesity in the Workplace. You think I am joking? Well, read the following report.

7 Oct 2008 15:00 Africa/Lagos

Lawmakers Consider Legislation to Reduce Obesity in the Workplace

Special legislative task force to discuss employer role in weight management

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- As American waistlines expand, there's little surprise that this public health issue poses a challenge to the nation's employers. In some states, including New York and California, government regulators are stepping in to urge businesses to take action.


A special meeting of the California Legislative Task Force on Diabetes and Obesity has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, at the Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute in Milpitas, Calif. At this hearing, which will be chaired by California State Assemblyman Joe Coto, experts will testify about the benefits of workplace wellness programs, the role of the employer and the economic impact of this serious public health threat. Task Force members will incorporate this testimony into their discussion and use it as a basis for potential legislation in California.


"The biotechnology industry proudly supports and commends the Legislative Diabetes and Obesity Task Force in their efforts to combat this epidemic," said Joe Panetta, President and CEO of BIOCOM, the association for the Southern California life science community. "The life science industry has been at the forefront in improving and sustaining the health of our workforce through workplace wellness programs. We understand that it makes good business sense and creates a more productive workforce."


American workers want help from their employers to lose weight according to a 2007 national survey of 500 members of the Synovate Global Opinion Panel (SGOP) who are overweight and work full-time outside of the home. Two out of three respondents to this survey report that they are interested in employer-sponsored weight control programs. But less than half (44 percent) of overweight employees have access to these types of programs.


Johnson & Johnson has one of the first corporate wellness models that dates back nearly 30 years. "We hope that our example can help other employers evolve beyond flu shots and blood pressure screenings to truly have a positive influence on the well being of the people who work for them," said Susan Tierman, M.D., Medical Director of North America for Johnson & Johnson.


Overweight and obesity is associated with an increased cost of healthcare, lost work days, absenteeism, low productivity and high turnover rates in the workplace. In California alone, the annual cost of medical care attributable to obesity is estimated to be nearly $7.7 billion(1) in a state where more half of all adults (55.9 percent) are either overweight or obese.(2)


"It is important for employers to offer programs with realistic end goals in mind -- specifically that modest, gradual weight loss is best. These types of programs are the best way to help reduce the financial impact of increased health care costs -- and should be a part of every business's employee wellness program," said MRC Greenwood, Ph.D., an obesity expert and co-chair of the Reality Coalition, a consumer advocacy organization aimed at getting consumers to adopt healthy, realistic approaches to weight loss that include diet, exercise, and evidence-based medicine and programs.


About Overweight and Obesity


Currently, approximately 65 percent of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, according to the National Institutes of Health. Research suggests that overweight individuals appear to be on the pathway to obesity.(3,4) Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk of developing health problems such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.(5) Factors that can contribute to overweight include an abundance of high-calorie foods, low levels of physical activity, behavior, environment, and genetics.(6) Multiple studies have shown that a modest reduction in weight improves health outcomes significantly in overweight or obese patients.(7,8)


About the Reality Coalition


The Reality Coalition is a group of esteemed experts on obesity, nutrition, diabetes and healthcare policy who share the common goal of advancing an agenda for realistic approaches to weight loss to achieve improved public health.


The Reality Initiative was launched in 2006 and is supported by an educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. The Coalition developed a white paper entitled Help Not Hype: Getting Real About Weight Loss (published in Obesity Management, February 2007), which was introduced in partnership with the Federal Trade Commission at NAASO, The Obesity Society annual meeting in October 2006. Committed to changing the national weight loss dialogue and broadening its sponsorship base, the Coalition is expanding its efforts in 2007 to invite business leaders, private, public, professional and non-profit groups to partner in our work.


Reality Coalition Members include co-chairs Louis J. Aronne, MD, Dr. George L. Blackburn, MD, PhD, and MRC Greenwood, PhD; Arthur Frank, MD, Obesity Specialist; Gary Foster, PhD, Behavioral Psychologist; Barbara Moore, PhD, Nutritionist; Judith Stern, ScD, Nutritionist; Anne Wolf, MS, RD, Dietitian; Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, CNS, Nutritionist; Johanna Dwyer, PhD, Nutritionist; Susan Cummings, RD, Dietitian; Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH, Public Health Expert; Valentine Burroughs, MD, MBA, Diabetes Expert; Morgan Downey, JD, Obesity Specialist, Shaping America's Health, The Obesity Society, National Consumers League, America On the Move, American Dietetic Association and the American Pharmacists Association.


(1) http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/pubs/files/AdultsObese_FS_120104.pdf
(2) http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/pubs/files/Hlth_CAs_RT_090908.pdf


(3) Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, Johnson CL. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999-2000. JAMA 2002;288:1723-1727.


(4) McTigue KM, Garrett JM, Popkin BM. The natural history of the development of obesity in a cohort of young US adults between 1981-1998. Ann Intern Med 2002;136:857-864.


(5) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Overweight and Obesity." http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/. Accessed 12/22/05.


(6) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Overweight and Obesity: Contributing Factors." http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/contributing_factors.htm. Accessed 12/22/05.


(7) Hauptman J, Lucas C, Baldrin MN, Collins H, Segal K. "Orlistat in the long-term treatment of obesity in primary care settings." Archives of Family Medicine 9:160-167.


(8) NIH, NHLBI. Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. HHS, PHS; 1998. p. 29-41.


Source: The Reality Coalition

CONTACT: Dave Schemelia of HealthSTAR Public Relations, +1-212-532-0909,
or cell, +1-609-468-9325, dschemelia@healthstarpr.com

Web Site: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity

"Carnie Wilson and Embracing Your Big Fat Ass" On Tyra Banks Show

Carnie Wilson

Monday, August 18th

"Carnie Wilson and Embracing Your Big Fat Ass"

Tyra speaks with women who are learning to embrace their bodies -- even though they are not a size zero. First she speaks with singer Carnie Wilson, who after years of battling her weight in the public eye, underwent gastric bypass surgery. Carnie talks about the hurtful comments made after she gained weight during her pregnancy -- and what it feels like to be hounded by the tabloids. Tyra then speaks with two women who have embraced their extra-large derrieres and turned them into moneymaking machines. Plus, the authors of “Embracing Your Big Fat Ass,” encourage two viewers who are self-conscious about their backsides to show off their bodies in a unique way. Tyra also talks with Chloe Marshall, a woman who is making international headlines by becoming the first plus-sized woman in British history to earn a coveted spot in the Miss England pageant, and then a former beauty pageant contestant who dropped out after she was ridiculed on message boards because of her full figure.


Tuesday, August 19th

"Tyra Takes Fashion Week: Part Deux!"

Tyra gives her viewers an inside look at what happens in the famous tents at New York’s Fashion Week -- before the models hit the runway! From checking-in guests to doing a model’s hair and makeup, Tyra rolls up her sleeves to be a stagehand at designer Jill Stuart’s show. She also surprises people on the street when she invites them to attend the exclusive runway shows of some of the hottest designers. Tyra gives her audience a glimpse of who’s who in the front row of these shows -- and what it’s like sitting up front for a Betsy Johnson runway experience.



Wednesday, August 20th

"Sex in Schools"

Tyra spends the hour speaking with high school students on the prevalence of sex on campus. The teens are extremely candid about why they have sex in the classroom, the library and anywhere else they find risky. She speaks to a young man (and his mother) who admits to receiving oral sex from a girl at school. Then a young lesbian reveals to her sister that she has sex with her girlfriends on campus. One girl admits she had to be home-schooled after her promiscuous behavior ruined her reputation and infected her with an STD. She warns Tyra’s viewers on the dangers of rushing into sex. Tyra gives the teens who are not having sex the opportunity to express their feelings of disapproval about their schoolmates’ behavior. Dr. Garry Corgiat is on hand to offer insight and advice to the teens -- and talk about consequences.



Thursday, August 21st

"Cast of 'Tropic Thunder’"

Tyra sits down with actors Ben Stiller and Jack Black, the stars of “Tropic Thunder,” a new action-comedy film about a group of spoiled, egotistical actors who are shooting a Vietnam War movie and find themselves in the middle of a real war. Ben talks about his inspiration for the movie, shares stories about his co-stars and discusses the controversy over fellow co-star Robert Downey Jr.’s role as an African-American. Viewers are also treated to a sneak peek at Tyra’s part in the film. Plus, Tyra has a behind-the-scenes look at her Harper’s Bazaar photo shoot in which she portrays Michelle Obama in iconic First Lady photos -- complete with a Barack Obama lookalike!



Friday, August 22nd

"The Princess Life"
Tyra sits down with actress Tori Spelling to discuss her autobiography, “sTORI Telling,” in which she opens up about infidelity in her first marriage, and how she feels slighted that her multi-millionaire father left her a only small inheritance… plus the tumultuous relationship she has with her mother -- and how it’s been played out in the press. Tori stays on to offer insight as Tyra speaks to families who spend enormous amounts of money and throw elaborate parties for their children -- to discuss if they’re setting up their kids for failure. Tyra also speaks with two stylists who are paid hundreds of dollars just to dress children. Watch as they dress their clients in high-end clothing for a mother/daughter fashion show!

Big, Beautiful and Inspiring

Queen Latifah

Big, beautiful and inspiring

This is based on my past experience, so readers should not jump to conclusions.

If I am given a choice of a thin woman, a slim woman and a buxom woman (like Queen Latifah) I will choose the buxom woman.
Call her fat, but I prefer to call her big.
I find big and beautiful women more anatomically inspiring.
How?
Have you seen a big woman and a slim woman before an artist, and the artist can tell you that the contours and colors of the big woman have more depth than the slim woman.
A woman with more depth is more inspiring.

Have you been to a Nigerian Owambe party and you see these big beautiful Nigerian women in the traditional Yorùbá dress of Buba and Iro and shoes?
Have you seen the way heads turn to look at them?
Have you seen them dancing?
Gyrating and swaying their waist?
Gosh!
They are awesome.
And they know that they are ultra-sexy and sexier than the slim ones.

When dancing with the big woman, you can rest your hands on her booty and your hands will not slip away.
But when dancing with the slim woman, you have to hold her waist, because her booty is not large enough to rest your hands and appreciate the physical geography of the round buttocks.

Have you seen a big woman in a towel?
Wow!
I loved to see the one I spent 11 days and 11 nights with in Lagos in the 1990s.
I loved to see her in her towel going to the bathroom.
Then see her in her hot jeans shorts like the one the Jamaican X-rated singer Patra (Dorothy Smith) made popular in the early 1990s.

Next, see her in her night gown and you would be in Cloud 9 and finally watch her lying naked in bed and when you commence making love to her, you can keep going deeper and deeper for as long as you wish.
She has more depth, like a gold mine.
The rest is history.
Have you read the Song of Solomon?
The woman who inspired King Solomon to compose those explicit romantic words was a big beautiful woman and not a slim woman.

Even slim women develop goose pimples when this special breed of big women get close to their guys.

Ask the men who have seen the difference and they will confirm what I am saying.