According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018), over one-third of American adults are obese, which can lead to a host of other health issues such as heart disease, stroke, cancers and diabetes. Obesity also is more prevalent in more vulnerable populations. Below are resources from APA and other organizations which can help to address this serious health problem.
- Summit on Obesity in African-American Girls and Women (PDF, 212KB)opens in new window
Co-sponsored by APA and the Association of Black Psychologists to examine determinants and intervention strategies. - "Prime Time Sister Circles: Addressing the Paradox of Obesity in Midlife African-American Women"
APA seminar featuring Marilyn H. Gaston, MD, and Gayle Porter, PsyD, this session discussed some of the contextual factors that contribute to obesity risk for middle-aged African-American women and detailed strategies to help combat obesity. - Movement is Lifeopens in new window
APA, through Disability Issues in Psychology, participates in the National Caucus on Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disparities, which aims to address limited mobility due to joint pain — often coupled with obesity — in priority populations such as women, African-Americans and Latinos/Hispanics. See the video, "Start Moving/Start Living". (Video available in Spanish and English.) - Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Obesity and Overweight in Children and Adolescents
The APA guideline recommends interventions for the treatment of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents aged 2-18. Recommendations are based on a systematic review of the scientific evidence, a weighing of the benefits and harms of interventions, consideration of what is known about patient values and preferences, and consideration of the applicability of the evidence across demographic groups and settings. - The APA Public Interest Directorate’s Ethnicity, Race, and Cultural Affairs Portfolio hosts the Ethnicity and Health in America Series , which has included individual sessions on obesity in Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, Latinos/Hispanics and African-Americans.
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Workshop: A Health Equity Approach to Obesity Effortsopens in new window
The NASEM Roundtable on Obesity Solutions hosted a workshop to explore the history of health equity issues in demographic groups who have above-average obesity risk and considered principles and approaches to addressing these issues as part of obesity prevention and treatment efforts.- Workshop Proceedings in Briefopens in new window
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Overweight & Obesity Resourcesopens in new window, including Adult Obesity Factsopens in new window and Childhood Obesity Factsopens in new window, which offer statistics showing disproportionate prevalence rates for obesity in some ethnic minority populations and in those with low SES.