Relationship of internalized racism to abdominal obesity and blood pressure in Afro-Caribbean women

Racism is associated with increased psychosocial stress and blood pressure in blacks. However, lithe is known of the relationship of racism to other f eatures of insulin resistance syndrome. This study examined the relationshi p of internalized racism to abdominal obesity and elevated blood pressure i n a population of black Caribbean women aged 20-55 years. One hundred thirt y-three randomly selected women from the island of Barbados comprised the s tudy sample. Data collected included anthropometric and blood pressure meas urements, and information about internalized racism, anxiety, and depressio n. The stress measures including anxiety, depression, and internalized racism were significantly correlated with waist circumference (r=.25, r=.21, and r =.25). After adjusting for age, education, anxiety, and depression, interna lized racism remained significantly correlated with waist circumference. Th e odds ratio associated with development of abdominal obesity among those w ith high internalized racism (OR=2.4 [95% CI, 1.1,5.3]) was significant (P< .05) after adjusting for age, education, and body mass index. Blood pressur e was not independently related to internalized racism. Studies comparing b lack-white differences in diseases for which abdominal obesity is a risk fa ctor (eg, diabetes and cardiovascular disease) should take into account the potential role of internalized racism in defining the differences between ethnic groups.