The Role of Racism in Childhood Obesity.

Fatima Cody Stanford, Ralph I Lawton

Journal: Current obesity reports 2024;13(1):98-106

PMID: 38172479

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Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Obesity rates continue to rise among children and have shown persistent racial disparities. Racism plays a potentially essential and actionable role in these disparities. This report reviews some mechanisms through which racism may shape childhood obesity.

RECENT FINDINGS

From the youngest ages, disparities in childhood obesity prevalence are already present. Racism may shape intergenerational and prenatal factors that affect obesity and various stressors and environments where children grow up. The relationships between clinicians and patients may also be shaped by everyday racism and legacies of past racism, which may affect obesity prevalence and treatment efficacy. Comprehensive data on the extent to which racism shapes childhood obesity is limited. However, compelling evidence suggests many ways through which racism ultimately does affect childhood obesity. Interventions to address racism at multiple points where it shapes childhood obesity, including intergenerational and prenatal mechanisms, may help to close disparities.

Address: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. [email protected].; MGH Weight Center, Department of Medicine-Division of Endocrinology-Neuroendocrine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Weight Center, 50 Staniford Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. [email protected].; Department of Pediatrics-Division of Endocrinology, Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH), Weight Center, 50 Staniford Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA, USA. [email protected].

DOI: 10.1007/s13679-023-00538-9