re: Minorities Are Obese Because of.........................Racism

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A study by Rutgers University – Newark claims that minorities are obese because racial microaggressions cause them to eat fast food and avoid exercise.

“When you are exposed to negative stereotypes, you may gravitate more toward unhealthy foods as opposed to healthy foods,” said Luis Rivera, the experimental social psychologist who conducted the study.

“You may have a less positive attitude toward watching your carbs or cutting back on fast food, and toward working out and exercising,” he explained.

Rivera said Hispanics who believed negative stereotypes about themselves were three times more likely to be overweight or obese — evidence that the obesity comes from believing the stereotypes.

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bullshite...bullshite...bullshite.

I'm going to assume that the minorities being referenced in this study are predominantly blacks and Hispanics. If that's the case, the obesity rates are a greater reflection of socioeconomic status and ethnic culture than they are 'negative stereotypes'.

The principle diet for most individuals of Hispanic descent residing in North America consists predominantly of beans, rice, or corn. They are staple dishes because they are cheap, readily available, and relatively satiating when combined with various meats.

Meanwhile, have you seen what soul food is comprised of? It's one of the most appetizing things you can eat but it sure takes a toll on your waistline.

Also, statistically speaking both minority groups are much more likely to be classified as impoverished or lower middle class when compared to white or Asian residents. Consequently, they likely visit fast food establishments or buy junk food on a regular basis because both are cheap and easily accessible dining options.

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That's what people like this "professor" want everyone to think. In actuality most stereotypes are based on facts, albeit politically incorrect ones. Do they hold true 100% of the time? No, but it is the way our brains are wired. We see trends and develop assumptions which are actually correct most of the time. The problem is when they aren't correct the political incorrectness gets you in trouble.

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I guess I should have specified that stereotypes supposedly have little to no basis in fact. Personally, I have always believed that there is some degree of truth, if not an extensive amount, in nearly all stereotypes.

The problem is that we're not supposed to make assumptions about the populous just because the majority of individuals within that group adhere to that particular stereotype.

By the way, who defines what constitutes as a negative stereotype? I'm sure that some people would contend that the black community's stereotypical love for chicken is a negative belief to maintain. But why?

Just about everyone loves chicken. It's not like it is an oppressive association to maintain.

As with many issues these days, it seems this country seems to be constantly bending over backwards to appease the vocal minority.

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Is it really a stereotype when those that the stereotype pertains to are in agreement with it? The premise behind stereotypes is that they are often blanket statements with little to no basis in fact. It seems like these individuals seem to disagree that these stereotypes are in fact stereotypes.

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Belief in a stereotype has nothing to do with whether or not the stereotype is true. That's like saying that Santa Claus is real if you believe in him. However, stereotypes do affect people's behaviors and abilities. When black people are told they're taking an intelligence test, they perform much worse that white people. When the test is phrased as just a "laboratory exercise", they perform comparably with white people.

The study posted in this thread doesn't seem much different to other "stereotype threat" studies that I've heard of. It's just more proof that negative stereotypes really do affect people's behavior.

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Rivera said Hispanics who believed negative stereotypes about themselves were three times more likely to be overweight or obes

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At risk of giving this bullshite study a status which it doesn't deserve (response-worthy), I will point out that these can be corollary and not causal relationships. It can come down to basic low self esteem issues. Could it not be said that if it isn't a racial esteem issue these people might just find something else to feel down on themselves?

Contrarily, if they are obese and suffer self esteem issues as a result, does it not become more difficult for them to deflect other sources of lowering their self esteem? Do they not have self doubt about their worth from the obesity?

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Holy shite, that burger looks amazing.

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No kidding. First thought I had. Now I'm starving.

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microaggressions

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Get that shite outta here!

I suffer daily microaggressions from feminists, liberal elites, atheists, homosexuals and Democrats in general.

The agony of it all.

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At risk of giving this bull shite study a status which it doesn't deserve (response-worthy), I will point out that these can be corollary and not causal relationships. It can come down to basic low self esteem issues. Could it not be said that if it isn't a racial esteem issue these people might just find something else to feel down on themselves?

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Well said. The results are interesting and deserve to be published; however, because there are so many other variables or factors that could account for this relationship, it is rather presumptuous to make definitive statements about causation. This turns an interesting study into pure sensationalism and borders on junk-science.