Better Nutrition Promoting the Health of African Americans
Obesity is one of the most serious problems facing the
American population today. According to the U.S. Surgeon
General, 62 percent of all Americans are overweight,
putting them at increased risk for developing diabetes,
heart problems, cancer and many other illnesses.
Culturally specific health issues
In addition to the alarming obesity epidemic
sweeping the country–and the world–African
Americans face their own culturally specific
health issues and challenges. The African-
American diet can often be high in sodium
and low in potassium, two major contributing
factors to hypertension, and it may not
include many fresh fruits or vegetables.
Staggering statistics
African Americans suffer diabetes twice
as often as Caucasians and have a much
greater probability of developing diabetic
complications such as kidney failure, visual
impairment and amputations. Furthermore,
according to an article in the June issue
of the Journal of the American Society of
Nephrology, African Americans are three
times as likely to develop kidney failure than
Caucasian Americans. This means one in every
13 African Americans will develop a disorder of the
kidney that will be fatal without dialysis or a renal
transplant.
The high incidence of strokes is another health
concern in the African-American community,
especially among African-American women,
according to the April issue of the journal, Stroke.
Additionally, African Americans are 30 percent
more likely to die of cancer than Caucasians and
are particularly susceptible to certain forms of
cancer, such as prostate cancer.
Climbing obesity rates
While the health problems facing the African-
American community affect people of all races,
the prevalence of illnesses facing this ethnic
group can often be directly attributed to obesity.
Unfortunately, statistics estimate that 58 percent
of African-American males and 67 percent of
African-American women are overweight.
The role of diet
In today’s “fast-food nation” it’s a struggle to get
the optimal amount of nutrients in your diet–even
if you’re getting regular servings of fruits and
vegetables. Grabbing a hamburger, slice of pizza
or sugar-laden snack out of the vending machine
is often easier than finding a healthy food choice,
but the consequences are increasing numbers
on the scale and health problems that are the
result of a high-fat, high-calorie diet.
Herbalife–the total nutrition solution
The good news is that Herbalife can help through
our nutrition products. It has been proven that
weight loss and exercise can reverse diabetes
and that weight loss and dietary modifications
can reduce blood pressure. We’ve had 22 years of success offering weight-management and nutritional products that can help address many
of these health concerns and provide a lifetime
of well-being.
Training and education
In addition to offering a wide range of nutritional
and targeted products, Herbalife also has training
tools including a newly created African-American
Wellness Brochure (#6300). This comprehensive
brochure educates customers and Distributors
about the impact of diet on disease, how to make
healthy food choices, how to use low-fat culinary
substitutions and also includes several weight-loss
testimonials. Herbalife can help African Americans
focus their thinking on the important role diet plays
in achieving overall health.
Working together
Whatever your specific needs, there is an
Herbalife product to help you live your life to the
fullest and conquer the challenges facing good
health for African Americans. Successful lifestyle
change depends on developing a community
for educating, supporting and helping each
other. We at Herbalife are here to help you learn
all about nutrition to help achieve health and
wellness for a lifetime.
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