After living in colombia for a year I could honestly tell you that most colombian women are big. However, I'm a African American woman who is a plus size, I love my size. I exercise and I eat healthy. I think size is a issue when your obese, but to say that most men doesn't find being <big>, pretty is BS. A lot of men do want a serious relationship with a overweight woman, and I can prove it. My mom is overweight and guess what, she's been married for 30 years and had 4 wonderful children. I have a host of family members and friends who were lucky to reach the same milestone my parents met this september. I THINK EVERY MAN HAS HIS PREFERENCE AS TO WHO HE DATES, SOME MEN LIKE BBW, SOME MEN LIKE SKINNY OR PETITE WOMEN. In my family women range from extremely skinny to extremely big and they all are in serious relationships. My grandma was a plus size woman who was married for 52 years when my grandpa passed away. In closing, congrats on your new marriage and I wish u the best, but not ALL BLACK WOMEN ARE BIG. Im currently engaged to a man who loves me for who I'm and my size (16) figure doesn't bother him.

dfrmhtn, congratulations on your recent nuptials and I do wish you and your wife the best. While I am a woman of size, I don't think that I am "trying to force" anyone to like me (or other women of size)--I just think there needs to be an understanding that just like anyone else who is "normal, healthy, or pretty", I am a human being who should be respected and appreciated as an individual, not as somebody's throwaway.

I am so sorry that big is not beautiful--to you. What you should have said to your wife was that yes, there are black women of size, but there are equally, if not more, women of size in other races, nationalities, and ethnicities, as well. And what a wonderful segue you had for a discussion of the black woman here in the U.S. and some of the issues we deal with and have dealt with in the past that may have a direct (or indirect correlation) to "why there are so many big, black women today." Really? Was "our diet" the only thing you could tell her?

.....Also, to correct your last statement, it should have read: very few men want a serious relationship with ANY woman. Men in general are just as callous and non-committal towards your "normal-sized" woman as they are towards a woman of size. You can ask that of any man.

Thank you for saying that...I hear so much about black women being over weight, but no one talks about the white women that are over weight.

Yeah, white women are overweight too. So what? First, this is a web site in which we discuss black issues. Secondly, white women are overweight but not as much as black women.

Members have written but few have answered the question: Why are so many black women overweight? Here are my suggestions.

- Many are single (70%), which leads to loneliness which leads to eating too much.

- They're picking up bad habits from overweight parents.

- Black children watch more television than white and Asian children, so they're less active.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/279/12/938

- Inner city school lunch programs feed children a lot of junk food.

Just a few thoughts off the top of my head. What do you think?

KMeister

Ok here is what I think...First of all I don't think God made everyone to look the same way. Yes, there are people that are overweight to the society standards.

I agree to some extent. God didn't create everyone to look the same. However, clearly there's something amiss with the American public when it comes to weight. We're much heavier than we were a generation ago.

Secondly what the hell does weight have to do with you being single. Come on now. Just because a person is over weight they are single. That is the way your comment read.

Actually, that's not how my statement read. I was associating weight with singlehood in general terms. Black women are more single than other women and are also more overweight. Are the two issues related? Perhaps. It's very possible that many single black women are seeking comfort with a plate full of KFC and a heaping bowl of ice cream.

I am single by choice and by society standards I am over weight. I'm not over weight because I sit at home and eat all the time. I eat very healthy.

I don't know if you do or don't. However,  judging from your photo  I can't imagine any responsible medical doctor who wouldn't consider you quite overweight and recommend some action be taken to correct the problem--and it is a problem.

Comments like yours really upset me because there are some people think just because you weigh more than them, you can eat more than they do, or that big people sit at home and eat all day.

No one wrote any such thing. However, I suspect if we compared the eating and exercise habits of 1000 overweight people to those of 1000 weight-proportionate people, we would see on average a huge difference.

As for the children and them watching their over weight parents and all that.... WAKE UP..... I am sure that there are overweight children that eat healthy...

And no one said there weren't. However, I suspect if we compared the children of 1000 overweight people to the children of 1000 weight-proportioned people I'm sure we would see a huge difference in the weight of the two groups, as well as their eating and exercise habits.

One other point that I would like to make. Black woman have what other women are paying to get, dying to get. Many don't have hips, behind, and breast so they go under a knife to get what GOD gave us naturally.

That statement is so broad it's meaningless. It also represents the rationalization and denial about being overweight that so many black women employ. Such tactics don't change the reality that the American public in general and black America in particular have serious health problems in no small part because too many of us are overweight or obese. Enough with the denial.

STAY STRONG MY BIG GIRLS...DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT A SIZE 6. SIZE IS A NUMBER...IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU WHO YOU ARE ON THE INSIDE!!!!!!

LOL! I agree. What's made too many big girls what they are are numerous supersized meals at McDonald's--with a diet soda, of course!

KMeister

I agree to some extent. God didn't create everyone to look the same. However, clearly there's something amiss with the American public when it comes to weight. We're much heavier than we were a generation ago.

If you say so...I still don't understand what is the hang up with weight? If you are not over weight then don't worry about other people that are.

Actually, that's not how my statement read. I was associating weight with singlehood in general terms. Black women are more single than other women and are also more overweight. Are the two issues related? Perhaps. It's very possible that many single black women are seeking comfort with a plate full of KFC and a heaping bowl of ice cream.

So, you have done studies that prove that black women are more single than any other race? Also, like I said before I dislike people like yourself. So just because some one is over weight they eat a plate full of KFC and a heaping bowl of ice cream????? Please there is something really wrong you. At first I thought you were just stating what you think everyone else thinks. But you actually believe what you are saying.

I don't know if you do or don't. However,  judging from your photo  I can't imagine any responsible medical doctor who wouldn't consider you quite overweight and recommend some action be taken to correct the problem--and it is a problem.

Ha ha judging from my photo you get that huh.... Well maybe us fat women don't go to the same doctors that you skinny women do. I stated in my earlier comments I am over weight and not at all ashamed of it. I have been plus size my entire life. So, unless GOD comes down here from heaven and tell me to my face that he thinks I am over weight. I'm good.  Also, like I said I have no medical problems.

No one wrote any such thing. However, I suspect if we compared the eating and exercise habits of 1000 overweight people to those of 1000 weight-proportionate people, we would see on average a huge difference.

How do you know about the eating habits of over weight people? You only know the people that you see out eating.  Have you taken a poll? Damn you are really close minded.

And no one said there weren't. However, I suspect if we compared the children of 1000 overweight people to the children of 1000 weight-proportioned people I'm sure we would see a huge difference in the weight of the two groups, as well as their eating and exercise habits.

Ok again with the comparison. Where do I find that information?????? I would like to see where you are getting your close minded ideas from...  Like I said I have 2 children that weight different, but eat the same. They play together and ride bikes together and I don't get the comparison you are talking about...

That statement is so broad it's meaningless. It also represents the rationalization and denial about being overweight that so many black women employ. Such tactics don't change the reality that the American public in general and black America in particular have serious health problems in no small part because too many of us are overweight or obese. Enough with the denial.

You think that is was meaningless. I am not in any kind of denial. I don't think any woman or man for that fact that is over weight is. Its just people like you that want over weight people to feel bad and have low self esteem. Also, I want to see the facts to the statement "Such tactics don't change the reality that the American public in general and black America in particular have serious health problems in no small part because too many of us are overweight or obese". Where can I find that info? That just because someone is overweight they have medical problems?

LOL! I agree. What's made too many big girls what they are are numerous supersized meals at McDonald's--with a diet soda, of course!

So there are not any small people that super size their meals with a diet soda? Again you might need to stop grouping all over weight people with the ones that you know, or see in the resturants. There are so many women with low self esteem. Instead of trying to put women down you need to start encouraging them to love themselves. Not everyone can and will ever be a size 2. Just for the record I don't want to be. I'm happy being the way GOD made me.

So just because some one is over weight they eat a plate full of KFC and a heaping bowl of ice cream?????

Certainly not in all cases. However, many eating disorders such as overeating are rooted in psychological issues such as depression and loneliness. It's not uncommon for some who feel empty inside to attempt to fill the void with food. Surely you are aware this phenonmenon exists. I'm theorizing that for some black women the empty feelings that are derived from being single may very well be dealt with by overeating. A very plausible theory.

KM: However, I suspect if we compared the eating and exercise habits of 1000 overweight people to those of 1000 weight-proportionate people, we would see on average a huge difference.

How do you know about the eating habits of over weight people? You only know the people that you see out eating.  Have you taken a poll?

Not me, but others have. Here's a informative article mentioning the effects of high caloric diet and lack of exercise on the increase in obesity in America.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity

Also, anecdotal information about women who depend on being attractive for their livelihood (such as models, actresses, etc.) indicates that they maintain their figures with a combination of dieting and exercise. It's not rocket science.

KM: However, I suspect if we compared the children of 1000 overweight people to the children of 1000 weight-proportioned people I'm sure we would see a huge difference in the weight of the two groups, as well as their eating and exercise habits.

Ok again with the comparison. Where do I find that information??????

For one, the Surgeon General wrote:

THE CAUSES OF OVERWEIGHT

Overweight in children and adolescents is generally caused by lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of the two, with genetics and lifestyle both playing important roles in determining a child's weight.

Our society has become very sedentary. Television, computer and video games contribute to children's inactive lifestyles.

43% of adolescents watch more than 2 hours of television each day.

Children, especially girls, become less active as they move through adolescence.

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm

KM: Such tactics don't change the reality that the American public in general and black America in particular have serious health problems in no small part because too many of us are overweight or obese.

Where can I find that info? That just because someone is overweight they have medical problems?

The article I cited above makes the case very plainly. On average people who are overweight and obese are at an increased risk for various medical problems. Just type "health risks overweight" or "health risks obesity" and you'll get a slew of articles listing the correlation between obesity and increased health risks.

So there are not any small people that super size their meals with a diet soda? Again you might need to stop grouping all over weight people with the ones that you know, or see in the resturants.

No one wrote anything about ALL overweight people. However, clearly America has a problem with being overweight--and black women are the most overweight of all American subgroups. It's a serious problem we should deal with.

KMeister

You asked the initial question: "Why are there so many big black women?" In addition to the reasons I stated earlier, I suspect another possible reason is there are many black women in serious denial about their weight. Some big sisters insist that they're not really overweight; it's the white media image that's at fault for characterizing them that way. When in doubt, it's always convenient to blame the white man for our problems.

Another issue: many black children are born to single mothers rearing children alone. Many of these women are overweight, so we have millions of black children seeing overweight, single mothers with similarly overweight, single female friends, aunts, grandmothers, etc. These children grow up believing that being overweight is quite normal. In fact, they don't even recognize that so many of the women in their lives are in fact overweight. Natually, many of these children become overweight adults.

KMeister

Firstly, everyone has a different fonting style, mine happens to be ultra candid, borderline aggressive. This is a topic I am passionate about. If you don't like my comments, or feel they are not retort worthy, then DON'T RETORT. Simple right? Please don't make the mistake of calling my posts nonsensical and anything less than serious. Just because I choose to express myself with more vehemence than most, don't make the mistake of deeming my opinions any less worthy of yours or the thread originators. Do not attempt to font to me in any condescending or reckless manner, you will not win.

Please get off your high horse, you're blocking the sun. Thanks sweetie.