Friday, August 30, 2013

Duke Study Regarding Black Women and Weight Maintenance vs. Loss

I'm discussing an  interesting that this article about a Duke University study recommending that higher weight Black women maintain their weight (http://today.duke.edu/2013/08/bennetobesity).  

It's progress from the lose weight at all costs perspective however:

1. It still promotes the balderdash that Black women have fewer social pressures to lose weight.  They don't realize that we have just as much pressure but we are bigger as a group and the pressure may start bearing down on us at a size 8 vs. a size 6.  

It also assumes that social pressure HELPS anyone lose weight when we know it's just the opposite.  Maybe THAT's why Black women tend to gain even more weight at we age vs. other race/gender groups.  

2. The study acts as though dieting and exercising makes everyone lose weight (It DOESN'T -- we know that. 

3. The study apparently done by an African American thin man, seems to still subtly put Black women down as though we are lazier and less disciplined than other race/gender groups.  For these reasons I hate this article.  It's more beat down for Black fat women.

4.  This article doesn't mention that it's dieting itself that makes most folks gain weight.  Higher weight people who aren't on a diet tend to keep stable weights.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

On Mothers, Weight and Race

Re: the article "Mothers are most important influence on daughter's body image" www.indystar.com

A few notes re: media impact and "intersectionality" -- The media ARE incredibly important because of their profound influence on those mothers and a girl's peer group, I LOVE the picture of the higher weight mom and daughter running and it reminded me how my mother shamed me for my shorts riding up in the middle between my "fat thighs,"  African American girls in particular are shamed for naturally kinky hair (as I was)...My mother was angry when the money and time she spent trying to keep my hair straight was sabotaged by sweating during exercise and swimming was not an option.  The doctor in the article is really ignorant about eating disorders and body image causes and effects.  She should NEVER be sources again in this area!