
Differences in weight loss among ethnicities points to need to look at socio-economic issues, York U study suggests
A new study led by York University looking at the health data of nearly 15,000 people enrolled in a medically supervised weight-loss program found disparities among ethnic and sub-ethnic groups in how much weight they lost. Lead author, York University Faculty of Health Professor Jennifer Kuk, says the results show that the very broad ethnic categories typically examined in clinical settings may mask differences in sub-ethnic groups. Further, she says the findings suggest the need for understanding how socio-economic issues may come into play in order to better support Black, Middle Eastern, Latin and South Asian communities with their weight-loss.