Obesity: Not Just A Woman’s Problem


It almost seems unfair. As women, we have to work extra hard to lose weight, but it seems like men can simply wish to lose weight and do it with no problem.

We know that obesity is a public health issue, but Chicago seems to be one city that’s leading the struggle. Obesity among 8 to 10 year olds in Chicago is higher than it is for kids across the nation, according to the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children.

And it’s always seemed that African-American women seem to have the hardest challenges. But that’s changing. We’re seeing our men becoming obese and developing obesity-related health problems as a result.

Nearly 1 in 4 African-American boys ages 6 to 11 is overweight, compared to less than 1 in 5 Caucasian boys. By age 20, that number grows to 70 percent of black men being obese, according to a 2012 report from the National Center for Health Statistics.

What can we do about it?

Addressing obesity among our men, means starting when they’re boys. This is not a problem we’ve typically had to even think about with young boys. But today, things are a little different.

For example, children spend an average of 3 hours per day watching television, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. That’s about 20 hours per week, the same amount of time as a part-time job. This is a key risk factor for being obese. The best way to overcome this is to hit the off button.

Instead of watching NBA games, have your son or nephew actually shoot hoops with some of his young friends. Instead of playing a football video game, have him go play a game of flag football.

I know that in many of our communities, safety and violence is an issue. Many parents don’t feel comfortable letting their children play outside. In that case, consider signing your son up for a summer sports camp or a league at the local park district.

Add to that the need to address poor nutrition habits. It might sound ironic but the same foods that contribute to malnutrition can lead to obesity: high-salt fried foods, empty carbs and sugary drinks. If you want your child to be healthy, it’s important to get their taste buds accustomed to the taste of healthy food early on.

What about adult men?

Changes in our society at large are why obesity is becoming more of problem for men. Much of the work that involved physical activity has been engineered out of the work place. Manual labor has been replaced with machines, walking to work has been replaced with commuting by car. That means you lose the opportunity to burn extra calories by walking a few blocks, because you’re driving yourself right to the front door. And if your job involves sitting at a desk all day, that’s even less opportunity to work off the food you’re eating.

A sedentary person should only eat about 2,000 calories per day. But many of our men are still eating the 2500 to 3,000 calories a day that was recommended when manual labor was the norm.

That means some men could be packing on 500 to 1,000 extra calories per day, unless their doing something very purposeful to work it off, like playing a sport or going to the gym. And remember, it only takes 3,500 calories to get to a pound.

Addressing the Excuses

At this point, many of my patients over age 40 will start offering common reasons for why they are not active:

“I have bad knees”

Talk to your doctor about knee pain and switch to low-impact sports like biking, swimming or walking.

“I don’t have time”

Here’s the reality: If our men don’t make time for physical activity now, they’ll be making time for hospital visits later.

“I did that when I was a kid”

Many of my patients ran their last lap in high school. Others were able to stay active until well into their 30s. But, for some reason they stopped. I say, it’s time to revisit that part of youth. Better yet, don’t think of physical activity as a young person’s activity. Think of it as a lifestyle, even if you’re just walking.

Also, mixing in strength training to build and maintain muscle is key to a balanced workout. Muscle helps process blood sugar, which can help prevent or control diabetes.

If you’re looking for a motivation, join us at our next Real Men Cook Father’s Day Celebration. There will be a health and wellness zone, plus some good grilled food to enjoy. It’s Sunday June 15 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at The Legacy, on 119th and Loomis. For more information, visit www.realmencook.com/Chicago.html

Also, we’ll dive deep into the topic of men and obesity on our June 7 broadcast on WVON, 1690AM at 3 p.m. Join the conversation by dialing in: 773-591-1690

And finally, I want to thank all of the readers who have followed this column and shared the insight on healthy living with others.

It’s been an honor to bring this information to you for the good of our communities. I hope it’s been helpful as you take steps toward living a healthy lifestyle. Thank you for reading.

Dr. Doriane C. Miller is the Director of the Center for Community Health and Vitality, The Urban Health Initiative of the University of Chicago Medicine. For information on The Urban Health Initiative, visit uhi.uchospitals.edu.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.