News Coverage of Diet-related Health Disparities Experienced by Black Americans: A Steady Diet of Misinformation

Abstract 

Compared to their white counterparts, black Americans experience greater morbidity and mortality across a range of diet-related diseases and conditions, including heart disease, type II diabetes, cancer, stroke, and obesity. Many factors influence dietary behaviors among blacks, including those associated with socioeconomics, culture, racism, psychology, and health care quality and access. However, when reporting about the health status and dietary behavior of black Americans, the mainstream print media pursues a largely one-dimensional focus on behavioral and cultural factors. This approach tends to disregard or minimize other factors that influence health behaviors. Health scientists and journalists must be careful to include discussion of the other factors if they want to become a part of the solution to minimize diet-related disparities.

Key Words: racial health disparities, dietary behavior, news media