Cardiometabolic Risk Factors In African-American And White-American Women Based On Physical Activity Levels

Abstract

PURPOSE: African- American women have a significantly higher cardiometabolic risk at a younger age and experience an earlier onset along with a greater severity of cardiovascular disease than White- American women in the United States. African- American women, when compared to White- American women, have a lower rate of exercise and leisure physical activity time. Research indicates that an increase in physical activity reduces the risk of cardiometabolic diseases among healthy individuals.To examine whether there is a health disparity in the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors between 20-50-year-old African- American and White- American women compared based on their physical activity levels (low, moderate, vigorous). METHODS: The data were harvested from the 2015 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The sample consisted of 615 women: 355 White- American (57.7%, age 34.92 ± 9.67), and 260 African- American (42.3%, age 35.81 ± 9.47). The prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors were calculated using descriptive statistics and crosstabs and chi square to assess statistical significance. RESULTS: There was no difference in the prevalence of pre-diabetes and high cholesterol amongst the two groups exercising at low, moderate, or vigorous physical activity levels. There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of diabetes between the two groups at the moderate physical activity level. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the prevalence of high blood pressure at low, moderate, and vigorous physical activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of their physical activity level, 20-50-year-old African- American women have a higher prevalence of high blood pressure when compared to White- American Women.