Black girls most likely to be obese.

Inadequate recreational facilities and lingering concerns about safety combine to prevent black girls in some communities from getting enough physical exercise to prevent obesity and promote good health later in life, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study suggests. Preferences for indoor sedentary behaviors, such as television viewing, and lack of motivation to be active also contribute to their weight gain risk.

"Lack of affordable and accessible neighborhood recreation facilities and poor traffic safety were among the elements that kept girls in our study inside their homes," maintains Penny Gordon-Larsen, assistant professor of nutrition. "We also found that the girls we talked to watched far too much television."

Previous studies have shown that, among all major racial and ethnic groups and both sexes, black girls faced the greatest chance of being significantly overweight or obese and inactive. Poor diet and physical inactivity are the second-leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. "Childhood obesity and physical inactivity put youth at risk for cardiovascular and other chronic diseases," says Gordon-Larsen. "And they can also damage children's self-esteem now and throughout their lifetimes."