Living Life to the Fullest: A Difficult Task for Black Americans

Living Life to the Fullest: A Difficult Task for Black Americans

Background

For decades, doctors have urged the American public to consume healthier foods, manage their weight, and participate in daily exercise in order to live long and happy lives. However, a 2021 study conducted by researchers at the University of Georgia suggests this may not be enough for African Americans. African Americans, particularly African American men, have the shortest lifespans of all American racial-gender groups. African Americans are also more likely to experience hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic illnesses. With historical research on lifestyle choices in question, one may wonder-- who's to blame? Using DNA markers, the research team found that social adversity and discrimination contribute to an accelerated aging process in Black adults. This phenomenon is titled the 'Weathering Hypothesis.' According to the study, Black Americans could be at risk for shorter lifespans due to historical disadvantages and racism.

Social Determinants of Health

Adopting a healthy lifestyle has been promoted by scientists and practitioners alike for a long time. Americans have been encouraged to assess their health using measures such as Body Mass Index (BMI) and the popular USDA MyPlate. In more recent years, contemporary public health experts have identified "social determinants of health," environmental stressors that directly and indirectly influence our well-being. Among these social determinants of health are racism, neighborhood disadvantage and housing inequity, poverty, and other forms of oppression. Black Americans are notably more likely to be exposed to these stressors, potentially reducing their overall life quality. The article acknowledges these social determinants and increased risk of exposure for Black Americans by studying the effects of income, education, neighborhood disadvantage, and discrimination on the aging process. The researchers investigated whether risky health behaviors such as alcohol consumption, diet, and exercise influence the relationship between cumulative stress and health outcomes. In other words, can we blame chronic illness and premature death on lifestyle choices, or is there something much larger in question? Do we have as much control over our lives as we think?

The Weathering Hypothesis

While much research has been conducted regarding the impact of social adversity on life quality, little research exists on decreased life longevity. The Weathering Hypothesis posits that repeated exposure to stress literally "weathers" the body's natural capability of responding to that stress. When we feel threatened, our body's fight-or-flight response allows us to properly handle and recover from the situation. However, if our bodies are continually undergoing stressful situations, they begin to lose their ability to respond appropriately. The article asserts that for African Americans, stress is ever-present and builds over time. Essentially, the body starts to break down as a result of prolonged and repeated disadvantages. This process of breaking down is synonymous with aging. The researchers used an innovative tool called "GrimAge" to analyze over 1000 markers on the DNA of 494 Black adults. Participants completed questionnaires and surveys about their income, living situations, education, and health behaviors. The results published in the Journal for Social Science and Medicine concluded that exposure to racism, living in disadvantaged neighborhoods, financial strain, and lower educational attainment all contributed to a faster aging process in African Americans. The results also suggested that the risky health behaviors mentioned earlier had no effect on the relationship between stress and aging.

Where do we go from here?

The recognition of the biological impacts of social adversity and discrimination adds even more credibility to the detrimental effects of a racially-charged society. This article supports the idea that social structures such as housing, wages, and education can significantly influence a person's life. While recent events have pushed racial justice to the forefront of America's political agenda, research like this can further help inform equitable, social policy by linking biology, mental health, and life outcomes. While political and structural changes can take a long time, there are much simpler strategies that can be used to decrease the aging process in the Black community in the meantime. Merely adding a question about experienced racism or economic hardship to a doctor's check-up protocol could potentially result in saving a life. Social support from loved ones and the community at large can also help buffer the effects of social adversity and contribute to resilience. Most importantly, we must work together to provide life-enhancing opportunities for all Americans and stay away from the "blame game." A society can only progress as far as its weakest link, and for that, we must aim for equity.

Read the original article here: Simons, R. L., Lei, M. K., Klopack, E., Beach, S. R., Gibbons, F. X., & Philibert, R. A. (2021). The effects of social adversity, discrimination, and health risk behaviors on the accelerated aging of African Americans: further support for the weathering hypothesis. Social Science & Medicine, 282, 113169. 

Young yet passionate, Brianna is a social justice advocate committed to eradicating racial health disparities and improving life trajectories for racial minorities and other marginalized groups through behavioral health research. When not attempting to save the world, she's either raving about her pit-mix, Zola, or solving mysteries on Investigation Discovery.