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A new, first-of-its-kind study will examine how food insecurity (lacking enough food for an active and healthy life) influences the physical and mental health of Black women. Food insecurity is associated with poor health outcomes such as obesity. More than 18 percent of U.S. adults have food insecurity, and the rates are even higher among Black women.
The study will enroll 60 Black women ages 18 to 35 with obesity, 30 of them with food insecurity and 30 who have enough food for an active and healthy life. Researchers will assess episodes of food insecurity and stress on a weekly basis. Participants will fill out questionnaires to assess psychological factors and researchers will measure physical responses to stress, such as the levels of cortisol and c-reactive protein.
New insights into the cyclic nature of food insecurity will help address the underlying mechanisms of obesity, help offset food insecurity’s impacts on obesity, and reduce health disparities in minority communities. Click here to learn more.