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The Role of Racism in Childhood Obesity

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Obesity rates continue to rise among children and have shown persistent racial disparities. Racism plays a potentially essential and actionable role in these disparities. This report reviews some mechanisms through which racism may shape childhood obesity.

Recent Findings

From the youngest ages, disparities in childhood obesity prevalence are already present. Racism may shape intergenerational and prenatal factors that affect obesity and various stressors and environments where children grow up. The relationships between clinicians and patients may also be shaped by everyday racism and legacies of past racism, which may affect obesity prevalence and treatment efficacy.

Summary

Comprehensive data on the extent to which racism shapes childhood obesity is limited. However, compelling evidence suggests many ways through which racism ultimately does affect childhood obesity. Interventions to address racism at multiple points where it shapes childhood obesity, including intergenerational and prenatal mechanisms, may help to close disparities.

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Funding

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health NIDDK U24 DK132733, NIDDK UE5 DK137285 and P30 DK040561 (FCS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Ralph I. Lawton & Fatima Cody Stanford

  2. MGH Weight Center, Department of Medicine-Division of Endocrinology-Neuroendocrine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Weight Center, 50 Staniford Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Fatima Cody Stanford

  3. Department of Pediatrics-Division of Endocrinology, Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH), Weight Center, 50 Staniford Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA, USA

    Fatima Cody Stanford

Authors
  1. Ralph I. Lawton
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RIL and FCS both wrote the main manuscript text.

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Correspondence to Fatima Cody Stanford.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford has served as a paid consultant/advisor for Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Boheringer Ingelheim, Currax, Gelesis, Rhythm, Calibrate, Sweetch, Vida Health, and Ilant Health.

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Lawton, R.I., Stanford, F.C. The Role of Racism in Childhood Obesity. Curr Obes Rep 13, 98–106 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-023-00538-9

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