66 Percent of Black Women Overweight, And Happy With It

1 year ago

Poll says the sistas love their bodies.

You've heard the saying "wearing the weight well," haven't you? If you haven't, a lot of other people have. A new study by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Foundation finds that 66% of black women in America are overweight, but still think they look good.

"Although 41 percent of average-sized or thin white women report having high self-esteem, that figure was 66 percent among black women considered by government standards to be overweight or obese," the Post reports.

In the black community the definition of "thick" and "fine" tends to vary, which is proven in this study that also points out cultural references like Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" and The Commodores "Brickhouse" as reasons why some women who may be overweight, are comfortable with themselves.

But in all seriousness, the study goes on to attribute the higher body mass index (BMI) among African American women to demanding work schedules which usually lead to fast-food lifestyles and less exercise. This is amplified by the fact that many black women are living in areas where there aren't many healthy eating options.

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