S/O, why is the black woman figure big?

[Anonymous]

I don't get it.
On another thread there were many posts that implied that black women just come big, and that is the way it is.
This is concerning because it is not true. Large people are large because they eat more than smaller people. If black women are large, it is because of diet.
The implication that there s a larger size to black women is dangerous. If we can ignore subjective esthetics and look at objective medicine, thinner is healthier.

BTW, most black women around the world (including Africa) are thin. On the average white women are heavier than black women.
It is just in the US where we have this obesity crises that seems to afflict the lower income people do we make such silly stereotypes.

[Anonymous]

It depends on what kind of black we're talking about.

Did you take world history classes in high school or college? Remember the "kind of black" that was a good fit for being a slave and the kind that was not?

Like any other race, there are groups within that race that have more lean mass and there are those who have less.

Here's a map to illustrate it:



The slaves brought to America were the bigger guys, the stronger ones. Think how big and strong they had to be to survive the trip, then the hard work and reproduce... You got it. Just the very healthy and strong ones survived. That's why African Americans are bigger. Now that's also the reason why the Africans in America today are lean and skinny - they came straight from Africa, first generation, by plane and they're from groups that were not chosen back then.

Got it?

[Anonymous]

Wow pp, that was silly

[Anonymous]

Crap.

People who eat more, weigh more. It's not rocket science.

Maybe it is true that some people, black and white, have a propensity to be bigger, but that is just a propensity.... it can't take effect if you aren't eating more than your body needs.

Too much fuel = fat.

[Anonymous]

My observation is that in the DC area at least - It seems like non-professional black women are just more ok with being fat and really fat. They don't seem to care so they have no problem stuffing their face with junk food and crap food. All the professional black women I know are of normal weight or smaller.

[Anonymous]

OMG. Shut up.

[Anonymous]

Short answer: Culture.

Beauty definitions are culturally constructed. As, to some extent, are definitions of health.

There's this idea that white men will go out with a really dark skinned woman as long as she's skinny, and a black man will date a very large woman so long as she's light-skinned. I think this (in short-hand) demonstrates (in broad strokes) how some of the beauty norms differ.

I think it could be productive to have further dialogue about this, but only if posters stay on track and steer clear of harsh and judgmental language. (So, it's not likely that this interesting topic will go very far. Sigh.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crap.

People who eat more, weigh more. It's not rocket science.

Maybe it is true that some people, black and white, have a propensity to be bigger, but that is just a propensity.... it can't take effect if you aren't eating more than your body needs.

Too much fuel = fat.

So there are no variations in lean muscle mass? Everyone with a bigger frame eats too much, even if their body fat percentages are low?

[Anonymous]

If you are looking at lower income people (and this applies to people of all races; just go to an area that's poor but predominantly white and you will see the same thing) a lot of it has to do with access to and affordability of more fresh and wholesome food, more fruits and vegetables, etc., along with cultural tendencies to eat certain things.

They don't talk about "urban food deserts" for nothing -- right here in our area, parts of DC have no access to a grocery store but many small corner stores filled with junk food and dozens of fast food places.

Think about how hard we as parents have to fight to keep our kids from eating nothing but junk. Now, what if junk was all you could afford and/or all you had access to? And if you'd never learned what healthy eating was? You'd be fat, too.

This is in addition to limited exercise opportunities for people in high crime neighborhoods and other issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crap.

People who eat more, weigh more. It's not rocket science.

Maybe it is true that some people, black and white, have a propensity to be bigger, but that is just a propensity.... it can't take effect if you aren't eating more than your body needs.

Too much fuel = fat.

I can't believe this! We're almost in 2011 people still believe this is the only reason for one to be fat?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are looking at lower income people (and this applies to people of all races; just go to an area that's poor but predominantly white and you will see the same thing) a lot of it has to do with access to and affordability of more fresh and wholesome food, more fruits and vegetables, etc., along with cultural tendencies to eat certain things.

They don't talk about "urban food deserts" for nothing -- right here in our area, parts of DC have no access to a grocery store but many small corner stores filled with junk food and dozens of fast food places.

Think about how hard we as parents have to fight to keep our kids from eating nothing but junk. Now, what if junk was all you could afford and/or all you had access to? And if you'd never learned what healthy eating was? You'd be fat, too.

This is in addition to limited exercise opportunities for people in high crime neighborhoods and other issues.

This. But I think the internet is spreading information so as time goes on it could be a matter of choice not so much not knowing about healthy foods and living.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crap.

People who eat more, weigh more. It's not rocket science.

Maybe it is true that some people, black and white, have a propensity to be bigger, but that is just a propensity.... it can't take effect if you aren't eating more than your body needs.

Too much fuel = fat.

I can't believe this! We're almost in 2011 people still believe this is the only reason for one to be fat?!

So what is your explanation? I think you are wrong. High caloric intake is THE ONLY explanation for obesity. Until we accept that, things will never get better.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The reason for my post is that I am curious why black women who are heavy think that is just the way it is. Sort of like "if I am black, I should be heavy".

I am black and quite thin, but I have heard my whole life that I am shaped like a white woman. How ridiculous is that?
I am thin because I eat little food (health conscious and picky). I have very little genetic contribution from Europe or Asia, so most (>85%) of my genes are African, and I am thin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are looking at lower income people (and this applies to people of all races; just go to an area that's poor but predominantly white and you will see the same thing) a lot of it has to do with access to and affordability of more fresh and wholesome food, more fruits and vegetables, etc., along with cultural tendencies to eat certain things.

They don't talk about "urban food deserts" for nothing -- right here in our area, parts of DC have no access to a grocery store but many small corner stores filled with junk food and dozens of fast food places.

Think about how hard we as parents have to fight to keep our kids from eating nothing but junk. Now, what if junk was all you could afford and/or all you had access to? And if you'd never learned what healthy eating was? You'd be fat, too.

This is in addition to limited exercise opportunities for people in high crime neighborhoods and other issues.

This. But I think the internet is spreading information so as time goes on it could be a matter of choice not so much not knowing about healthy foods and living.

I don't buy it. SMALL quantities (portions) of the worst food will not cause obesity. There are families living together eating the same "bad" food together, and some members are very big and some not big. How do you explain that?

[Anonymous]

Are you for real?

There are several metabolic disorders that will cause one to gain fat even though they consume a well balanced diet and exercise often. Also inumoerous medications can cause weight gain even when the person keeps good habits.

Aging also can cause weight loss/gain Even when the person keeps healthy habits. Freaking weather changes can cause your body to process ATP at a different rate so you'll gain weight even though you're consuming the same diet and doing the same exercise as before!

How ignorant can you be? You really didn't know this or you're just trolling?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crap.

People who eat more, weigh more. It's not rocket science.

Maybe it is true that some people, black and white, have a propensity to be bigger, but that is just a propensity.... it can't take effect if you aren't eating more than your body needs.

Too much fuel = fat.

I can't believe this! We're almost in 2011 people still believe this is the only reason for one to be fat?!

So what is your explanation? I think you are wrong. High caloric intake is THE ONLY explanation for obesity. Until we accept that, things will never get better.