23 Jan National Healthy Weight Week January 21st-27th
National Healthy Weight Week challenges societal norms and stereotypes surrounding body image. It promotes body positivity and self-acceptance, encouraging folks to appreciate their bodies for their strength and functionality rather than solely focusing on appearance.
During this week, various events and activities are organized to engage individuals in discussions about healthy weight management, which is important because America has an unhealthy relationship with its weight. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was nearly $173 billion in 2019. Medical costs for adults who were diagnosed as having obesity were $1,861 higher than medical costs for people with healthy weight. Nationally, non-Hispanic Black adults (49.9%) had the highest age-adjusted prevalence of obesity, followed by Hispanic adults (45.6%), non-Hispanic White adults (41.4%), and non-Hispanic Asian adults (16.1%).—CDC
California ranks 38th in the nationwide obesity rankings. 37% of teens in Los Angeles are overweight or obese, followed by 22% of adults. South LA has a Population Obesity Percentage (POP) of 29% for children and 33% for adults, the highest levels of childhood obesity in Los Angeles County. And adults in South Los Angeles reported having fair to poor health at a rate twice the national average.
“In South Los Angeles, more people die of lung cancer, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease than in any other place in Los Angeles County.” —The Health Disparity
Our communities can learn about nutrition, physical activity, and well-being by participating in National Healthy Weight Week. National Healthy Weight Week provides education, support, and engagement, encouraging individuals to adopt sustainable habits that contribute to a healthier lifestyle. Like these:
- Drinking lots of water.
- Adding fruits and veggies.
- Reducing or eliminating sugar.
- Reducing or eliminating refined carbohydrates. The main dietary sources of refined carbs are white flour, white bread, white rice, pastries, sodas, snacks, pasta, sweets, breakfast cereals, and added sugars.
- Adding a cardio workout – walking is one of the best exercises anyone can do.
- Include a weight or resistance workout (such as yoga) in your exercise plan.
- Keeping your servings small by using small plates
- Getting plenty of rest.
Most importantly, National Health Weight Week reminds us to prioritize health over unrealistic beauty standards and encourages us to make sustainable lifestyle changes supporting long-term health goals. Here are a few groups in South L.A. that can help you get started on maintaining a healthy weight:
Black Girls RUN! wants to encourage African-American women to prioritize fitness and healthy living. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 80% of African-American women are overweight. BGR! wants to create a movement to lower that percentage and, subsequently, lower the number of women with chronic diseases associated with an unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle.
The L.A. Soul Steppers Walking Group
This group meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. It’s a free event for people of all ages and abilities. Visit AARP.Org/LASoulSteppers for more details and to register for upcoming walks.
40+ Double Dutch Club (Inglewood)
Although it originated in Chicago, the group now has sub-clubs in cities nationwide! The 40+ Double Dutch Club was created in 2016 for women aged 40 and above who want an exciting, affordable way to tone, burn calories, and improve their physical and mental health while interacting with other women, reliving positive childhood memories, and creating new ones! Participants jump Double Dutch, Chinese rope, play hopscotch, hula hoop and all the games we played on the playground growing up! And we end every meetup in prayer because we are grateful to God that 20, 30, and 40 years later, we can still JUMP!!!
Rita, Jonié (aka J.Cole), Jana, and Jenni founded The Tree Yoga Cooperative in August 2020 after years of teaching yoga and meditation throughout South Los Angeles. Their community leadership at The Tree South) united them to reimagine how this Black and Latinx team wanted to connect with, heal, build, and celebrate themselves and the community.
If weight loss or weight management is your goal, boxing can be effective. The high-intensity nature of boxing workouts burns a significant number of calories, helping you shed excess weight and maintain a healthy body composition. Additionally, boxing increases your metabolic rate, allowing you to continue burning calories after your workout. Established in 2003, TG Boxing Gym has workouts for every level of boxing enthusiast.
South Central Foundation for Fitness Dance and Arts
This South L.A. nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping people find their health through movement and arts! We offer dance and exercise classes. Find your health in a Zumba, chair, dance, boxing, music, knitting, or through your breath in yoga. They are here to help us get healthier so that we use fewer medicines, make fewer doctor visits, and feel more energetic.
The MLK Community Healing and Trauma Prevention Center, also called the “Healing Center,” serves children, families, and individuals with a continuum of services designed to strengthen families and promote individual well-being. The Healing Center serves South LA (SPA 6), including Watts, Willowbrook, and Compton communities. All classes are free and open to the community, so why try Aztec Dance?
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