Why physical activity is harder for people of color
Photo by Yan Krukau
Health is a human right and at the core of every aspect of life. So much is reliant on good health including the ability to create intimacy in relationships, provide familial support, actively engage in everyday activities, and support oneself financially.
While this may seem relatively simple given all of the technological and medical advancements in our world, many minority groups experience health disparities that make it difficult to focus on physical and mental wellbeing.
Generations of systemic racism and lack of access to resources have caused certain minority groups to be more at risk of certain diseases or illnesses than others.
This year, for National Minority Health Month, health organizations like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are highlighting the theme of “Active & Healthy”.
Physical activity is associated with a variety of health benefits including weight management, decreasing risk for cardiovascular disease, increasing bone density, improving muscle strength, and uplifting mood.
Within this month, it’s particularly crucial to highlight the inequalities that prevent individuals of minority groups from participating in exercise. Most of us are aware that physical activity leads to a healthier life, but there are so many barriers to access for women and non-binary people of color specifically, including socio-economic status, time, and accessibility.
LatinX communities are among those with the highest level of physical inactivity and are at the greatest risk for chronic diseases and conditions. These illnesses are often preventable and are associated with a lack of access to healthcare, environmental health hazards, and government negligence when it comes to designing spaces like parks conducive to physical activity and overall mental wellbeing.
Many black communities face living in crowded, dense neighborhoods that do not have adequate funding in schools to provide physical extracurricular activities, like sports, for children. People of color disproportionately experience deprivation of resources to achieve a healthy balance between physical activity and nutrition from the very start.
Physical activity can also help to remedy the damaging health effects of colonization, displacement, loss of culture and loss of food sovereignty that indigenous and Pacific Islander communities face.
Communities of color have endless hoops and hurdles to jump through to participate in physical activities that have the potential to be life-saving. But, with the emergence of BIPOC fitness trainers on social media, we’re reinventing ways to incorporate exercise into our daily routines.
The average workweek can be extremely draining, a gym membership can be expensive, and time is not a resource that many of us do not have. Exercise can be easy to make fun and accessible. Maybe try engaging in traditional cultural activities such as dancing! Find a way to workout that works best for you! You can incorporate exercise easily into your daily routine just by simple actions such as parking in the back of the parking lot rather than near the entrance of a store. Try taking the stairs up to your apartment rather than the elevator. If you have the energy and live close enough to work, maybe even find cost-efficient ways to commute such as through biking or walking.
The future looks hopeful. Women and non-binary people of color are facing this issue head-on, so many organizations are fighting for access to programs promoting physical activity. Trying to incorporate exercise into our daily lives where we can is a huge step in regaining control of the health of our bodies and minds.
