Towards a Holistic Understanding of Obesity among African American Women

Abstract: At 58%, African American women have, by far, the highest prevalence of adult obesity in the United States. This study is a description and an analysis of the multiplicity of social, cultural and economic factors, in addition to demographic trends, that underlie the high prevalence of obesity in this population. Using a socioecological model (SEM) of human development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), this study traces an understanding of the ways in which these factors intersect to contribute to obesity among African American women, in addition to analyzing and proposing interventions to reduce this health disparity.