Successful Black Adults in their 20s More Likely to Have Physical Risk Factors
According to a new study from researchers at the University of Georgia, successful Black young adults who grew up amid economic hardship and exposure to racial discrimination were more likely to show early signs of chronic diseases than white young adults. The research team, led by Dr. Gene Brody, has worked with a group of 489 Black children in rural Georgia who were initially identified by teachers as doing well, based on academic and behavioral evaluations, despite growing up in economic hardship. Researchers assessed the group members progress at ages 11, 19, and 27. At age 19, the group still appeared to be successful, yet blood tests showed higher levels of stress hormones, inflammation, obesity, and blood pressure. At 27, group members were more likely to have earned a college degree yet were more likely to suffer from insulin resistance and components of metabolic syndrome. Dr. Brody states that this pattern of “skin-deep resilience” is more prevalent in Black adults who have had to overcome significant adversity.