Black girls most likely to be obese.

• Position: Weight Control - Brief Article

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...