Physical Activity Disparities and African American Adults: KNES 400

This essay delves into the physical activity disparities faced by low-income African American adults, examining the complex interplay of factors that contribute to this issue. It explores the concepts of "above water factors" such as lack of financial resources and "underwater factors" like racial inequality, highlighting their adverse impacts on physical activity levels and overall health outcomes. The essay also discusses temporal factors, including unfair treatment, and structural discrimination, emphasizing their psychological effects. It argues that addressing racial inequality and improving economic opportunities are crucial for mitigating these disparities and promoting better health outcomes for the community. The paper references data from U.S. health surveys and scholarly articles to support its arguments, concluding that a holistic approach is needed to overcome the challenges faced by African Americans in achieving adequate physical activity levels.

Physical activity disparities among low income african american adults
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For this study, the chosen area of the population is the low-income African American
adults that faces physical activity disparities. This study will revolve around the black African
American people who belong from the low-income group in integrated communities.
Disparities in physical activity for them is beyond the lack of motivation and income lines
(Bernhart, et. al., 2018). African American people face an adverse challenge because of the
racial issues that presents not only in the USA but in the major western part of the globe. Due
to racial factors and ethnic minorities with low income earning capacity, African American
people face adverse issues that disparities their physical activity. In this essay, there will be a
discussion about the above water factor, below water factor, temporal factors and structural
discrimination that put the adverse impact on African Americans in the context of physical
activity disparities.
Based upon the data presented by the U.S health surveillance survey data collected
between 2007 to 2016 disparities in physical activity among African American group
indicates that this group is not getting adequate health care services. Although, not only in
this time span (2007 to 2016) but since ages this group is fighting for their basic rights in
which disparities in physical activity are the primary concern. Here, it can be analysed that
the above water factor is that they do not have enough financial resources to overcome
physical activity disparities. Lack of financial resources is the primary factor that creates a
hindrance for these people to create balance in physical activity. There are only fewer
resources that can help this community in digging themselves out from the hole. As hospital
bills, news for sudden job laws, etc. make difficult for the African American community to
stay (Brown Speights, Nowakowski, De Leon, Mitchell & Simpson, 2017).
However, according to the Christian Weller “African American’s wealth a fraction
that of Whites due to systematic inequality”. For example: at the median mode, an individual
African American had only $13,460 in wealth at the time of retirements in the year 2016. On

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the other hand, White Americans had $142,180 of wealth at the time of retirement. Thus, this
example implies the massive wealth gap and it also indicates the fewer financial resources
that this group has. Apart from this, accessing to fewer financial resources not only hamper
their working in getting physical activity but it also hampers their functioning in enabling
adequate health care facilities with other functions. For African Americans, these above water
factors significances having fewer financial resources create difficult for them to create
effective emergency funds and for making effective financial planning for their own future
such as shifting to the more friendly neighbourhood, establishing a new business, high-class
knowledge for their kids, etc. Moreover, these above water factors are present in the country
and in another western part of the globe for ages. This implies that African American
economic mobility consequently remains at a low level (Gross, Story, Harvey, Allsopp &
Whitt-Glover, 2018).
Apart from the above water factor is also important to discuss the under-water factor
that is adversely affecting African Americans. The under-water factor is directly related to
racial inequality in the country. The negative mentality of the white people in the country is
adversely affecting the African American people and this underwater factor is present in the
nation for ages. As the government claims that America is close to the point to achieve racial
equality. Here, various scholars and researchers mark the government that instead of claiming
that America has reached close to the point of racial equality, it is better than government
authority should reach on the ground and talk with the low-income level African American
people. These people will tell the government about the actual scenario of racial equality in
the country. Due to this racial inequality mentality, these people face adverse issues in
physical activity. This is the underline water because due to racial inequality for African
Americans, white people discriminate against them and it impacts their jobs, future plans and
current position (Hawes, et. al., 2019).

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The major reason for physical activity disparities among the African American
community is due to the racial inequality mentality of the people. Due to this mentality,
African American people adversely suffer which not only impacts their physical activity but
it also impacts their right to access healthcare facilities and quality education. Even if the
government makes changes in their policies about the rights of the African American
community then the major challenge is how the government will fix the thinking of the
people in an effective and efficient way possible. Here, the major concern is directly related
to the thinking of white people that are running for ages. Disparities in physical activity
arisen mainly because of this underwater factor. The above water factor which is related to
the financial health of the African American community will be fixed ineffective if the
government will really reach the point where there is not racial inequality in the country
(Schultz, Stanis, Sayers, Thombs & Thomas, 2017).
However, for accomplishing the point where there is not racial equality is directly
related to fixing the thinking of the people. As white people consider themselves above
African American and they think that America is the land of the white people only and
African Americans should migrate to their own. Here, various scholars pay their concern that
white people need to change their mentality and they should learn to adopt the factors of
humanity. Due to negative thinking of other people, African American people are suffering
from various things which include disparities in physical activity, sudden loss of a job, low
level of income, improper access to education facilities, etc. The American government has
various policies which empower African American people with various rights but the major
positive change will occur when white people of the country accept African American as the
part of their nation. In this case, the government should make effective guidelines and
promote them so that African American people do not face any concern which is arisen on

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the ground of disparities in physical activity with fewer chances of future financial security
(Gross, Story, Harvey, Allsopp & Whitt-Glover, 2018).
Once this underwater factor gets resolved the above water factor will also be resolved.
As because of racial inequality mentality, African American has to deal with disparities in
physical activity and fewer work opportunities. When the government will finally reach to the
point of racial equality then it can be expected that the African American community will
have better access to education, jobs, business, adequate healthcare services, they will
outperform disparities in physical activity, etc. Thus, it can be said that the underwater factor
is linked with the above water factor. Once the underwater factor gets resolved then it can be
expected that the above water factor will also be resolved in a slow and steady manner. For
outperforming disparities in physical activity, it is important that the first whole nation or
even the whole western part of the world emerge positive thinking about low-income level
African American community instead of making them as the challenging part of the nation. It
is also analysed that African American who belongs from low-income level group faces a
more adverse challenge because of racial inequality than the people who have adequate
financial resources. However, this is the point of consideration for the whole African
American community that the government and citizens of the country should take necessary
steps to outperform disparities in physical activity and all other issues in an effective and
efficient way (Hawes, et. al., 2019).
Apart from the underwater and above water factors, there are other temporal factors
which affect the functioning of African American in disparities in physical activity with other
activity. Temporal factors include the parameters of unfair treatment that is given to the
African American community in the country. Here, unfair treatment not only implies
disparities in physical activity but also hampers the functioning of the African American
community when they deal with the police, in the courtroom, at the workplace, etc. Although

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this temporal factor does not relate directly with the disparities in physical activity this
temporal factor of unfair treatment affects their psychological functioning in various ways.
For example: when an individual reaches any government official for help and there he/she
realize that they are receiving unfair treatment. This creates an adverse effect on them at the
psychological level because at that time their mind fills with extreme negativity (Brown
Speights, Nowakowski, De Leon, Mitchell & Simpson, 2017).
Thus, it is important to correct this temporal factor and this temporal factor can be
effectively resolved with the efforts of government policies and laws. The government should
take strict actions against those government authorities who adopt the policies of unfair
treatment for African American communities. According to the people working for human
rights, they have concluded that in order to prevent practices like unfair treatments, the
government of the country should take necessary steps. However, not taking steps is not
enough, the government should make an effective implementation framework so that actual
ground reality for the unfair treatment of African Americans can be solved. Later on, it can be
concluded that solving this ground reality will surely bring positive results in disparities in
physical activity. As structural discrimination factor should also be solved in this context.
Solving these two contexts will effectively create a positive framework in the African
American community for not only disparities in physical activity but for all the other factors.
Since the past few years, it is analysed that the government of the USA is making strict laws
and policies for securing the rights of the African American community in an effective and
efficient way (Bernhart, et. al., 2018).
It is concluded that the lack of financial resources is the above water factor for
African Americans that belong to the low-income group category in the context of disparities
in physical activity. It is noticed that due to a lack of financial resources, African American
people experience disparities in physical activity with various other challenges such as

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inadequate healthcare facilities, lack of skill education, etc. Apart from this, it is also
discussed that racial inequality is the underwater factor which is the primary reason through
which African American communities experience disparities in physical activity with various
other factors. Moreover, it is also concluded that solving the underwater factor is directly
related to fixing the thinking of the white people and when this factor will be resolved in the
nation then it can be expected that the above water factor will also be resolved in a slow and
steady manner.

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References
Bernhart, J. A., La Valley, E. A., Kaczynski, A. T., Wilcox, S., Jake-Schoffman, D. E.,
Peters, N., ... & Hutto, B. (2018). Investigating socioeconomic disparities in the
potential healthy eating and physical activity environments. Journal of religion
and health, 1(1), 1-15.
Brown Speights, J. S., Nowakowski, A. C., De Leon, J., Mitchell, M. M., & Simpson, I.
(2017). Engaging African American women in research: an approach to eliminate
health disparities in the African American community. Family practice, 34(3), 322-
329.
Gross, T. T., Story, C. R., Harvey, I. S., Allsopp, M., & Whitt-Glover, M. (2018). “As a
community, we need to be more health conscious”: pastors’ perceptions on the
health status of the black church and African-American communities. Journal of
racial and ethnic health disparities, 5(3), 570-579.
Hawes, A. M., Smith, G. S., McGinty, E., Bell, C., Bower, K., LaVeist, T. A., & Thorpe, R.
J. (2019). Disentangling race, poverty, and place in disparities in physical
activity. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(7),
1193.
Schultz, C. L., Stanis, S. A. W., Sayers, S. P., Thombs, L. A., & Thomas, I. M. (2017). A
longitudinal examination of improved access on park use and physical activity in a
low-income and majority African American neighborhood park. Preventive
medicine, 95(1), 95-100.