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Honolulu, Hawaii

Previous studies have demonstrated that obesity, which has been linked to numerous concomitant risks, has a negative impact on self-perception of overall health.  However, limited data exist examining this association among racial/ethnic minorities and in whom obesity-related comorbidities occur.  We report the prevalence of self-reported comorbidities and examine the association between such comorbidities and self-rated health using data from a telephone survey of African American (n=537) and Hispanic (n=526) adults in the U.S. who self-identified as being overweight.  Participants were recruited using a combination of random-digit dialing and listed household sampling.  One-third (33.0%) of African Americans reported having high blood pressure, followed by arthritis (20.4%) and high cholesterol (18.4%).  Among Hispanics, high cholesterol was the most frequently reported comorbidity (17.2%), followed by high blood pressure (15.0%), and difficulty sleeping (12.5%).  Almost three-quarters of self-identified overweight African Americans surveyed (72%) reported that their overall health was good to excellent, compared to 62% for self-identified overweight Hispanics.  Self-reported rates of obesity-related comorbidities fall below what would be expected based on clinical data, suggesting a significant lack of awareness of actual risk.  Further, African Americans appear to have a more optimistic view of their overall health compared to Hispanics.  It is imperative that physicians communicate to their patients the serious health consequences associated with excess weight as defined by body mass index criteria.