Review Article Obesity and African Americans: Physiologic and Behavioral Pathways

Copyright © 2013 Preetha Anna Abraham et al.is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in anymedium, provided the originalwork is properly cited. Although progress has beenmade to understand the association between physiological and lifestyle behaviorswith regard to obesity, ethnic differences in markers of obesity and pathways towards obesity remain somewhat unexplained. However, obesity remains a serious growing concern. is paper highlights ethnic differences in African Americans and Caucasians that may contribute to the higher prevalence of obesity among African Americans. Understanding ethnic differences in metabolic syndrome criteria, functioning of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, variations in glucocorticoid sensitivity and insulin resistance, and physical activity and cardiovascular �tness levels may help to inform practical clinical and public health interventions and reduce obesity disparities. 1