Santa Claus and the Unequal Burden of Obesity

Santa Claus is a beloved figure in many cultures around the world. Unfortunately, he is often depicted as a large, overweight figure, which reinforces the idea that being overweight is acceptable. This is especially concerning in light of the fact that obesity is a public health crisis that disproportionately impacts communities of color.

The latest data shows that non-Hispanic Black adults have the highest age-adjusted prevalence of obesity in the country, followed by Hispanic adults and non-Hispanic white adults. Obesity is also a significant health challenge among American Indians and Alaskan Natives, with adults in those communities 50% more likely to have obesity than white adults. Furthermore, a projection of obesity rates found that ‘severe obesity’ will become the most common BMI category among non-Hispanic Black adults, women, and low-income adults by 2030.

It is important to recognize that obesity is not simply the result of an individual’s lifestyle choices around diet and exercise. Body weight is determined by a combination of genetic, metabolic, behavioral, environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic factors. This means that we must take a holistic approach to tackling the obesity epidemic, focusing on the core causes and dire consequences of unchecked increases in obesity rates.

We must also recognize the role that Santa Claus plays in reinforcing the idea that being overweight is acceptable. We must strive to create a society that celebrates all body types and works to reduce the burden of obesity on all Americans, especially Black and brown people.