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Physical activity seems a nearly sure way to prevent obesity in white adolescent girls, but does not have the same effect on African American girls, researchers say. In a dispiriting finding for African American girls and women, a new study finds that while engaging in high levels of physical activity is a good bet for preventing obesity in white adolescent girls, it does not give their black peers the same benefit. The study, found that among black adolescent girls who moved the most at age 12, obesity at age 14 was nearly as likely as it was for those whose activity rates were far lower. The study, which draws from a database of 1,148 adolescents, is the first to explore differences between white and black girls' physical activity rates and their effect on weight.Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, June 2012 |
