Boston University Study Links Low Level of Education With Obesity Among Black Women

A study led by researchers at the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University finds that lower levels of education are directly linked to higher risk of obesity among African American women.

They study tracked the weight of more than 23,600 African American women from 1995 to 2009. The results showed that women whose parents had not completed high school were more likely to become obese than women who had at least one parent who completed college. But Black women whose parents had not completed high school but who had completed college themselves, were no more likely to be obese than Black women who had a parent who was college educated.

Patricia Coogan, senior epidemiologist and associate professor at the Boston University School of Public Health, stated, “Our results suggest that women who were disadvantaged in childhood, as indicated by low level of parental education, have greater weight gain as adults, but this tendency can be largely overcome if the woman herself has a high level of education.” Dr. Coogan added, “A high level of education may be a marker of more access to healthy food and other factors that influence weight gain.”

The study was published on the website of the journal Ethnicity & Disease.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs