For the Vegetarian with Soul
WHY AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN NEED TO EAT MORE FRUIT & VEGGIES
Men need to eat more fruit and vegetables, but they're eating less — and they're lagging behind women in several other significant ways.
Men aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables.
- Men eat only one-third of the recommended 9 servings a day on average.
- Only 4 percent of men say they are eating their 9 A Day.
Men aren't aware of the benefits.
- Men are significantly less likely than women to recognize the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, such as their role in reducing the risk of many cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Men have high rates of diet-related diseases.
- Men have approximately 1 1/2 times the death rate of total cardiovascular diseases as women.
- Men have approximately 1 1/2 times the death rate of total cancers as women.
- Men have approximately 2 times the death rate of lung cancer as women.
- Men have approximately 1 1/2 times the death rate of colorectal cancer as women.
- More than two-thirds of men are overweight or obese.
- Among Americans overall, at least 58 million have some form of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, and 8.2 million Americans alive today have a history of cancer.
Here are some organizations involved in African-American health promotion:
* National Black Women's Health Project: in Detroit, (313) 224-3450; nationally, (800)ASK-BWHP, for information about African-American health programs.
* National Black Nurses' Association: (202) 393-6870.
* Office of Minority Health, National Institutes of Health: (800) 444-6472, for information about federal research on minority health issues.
* Agency for Health Care Policy and Research: (800) 358-9295, for free publications on sickle cell disease.
* American Association of Retired Persons: (202) 434-2277, for a free publication on Health Risks and Preventive Care Among Older Blacks.
* American Diabetes Association: (800) 232-6733, for a free fact sheet on diabetes among black Americans.
* Howard University Cancer Center: (202) 865-5398, for a series of free pamphlets on breast and prostate cancer.
* American Heart Association: (214) 373-6300, for a free brochure titled "About High Blood Pressure in African Americans."
* African American Family Services: (612) 871-7878, for publications and information about chemical dependency in African Americans.
* Minority AIDS Project: (213) 936-4949 after 3 p.m., for AIDS educational materials for minorities.
* National Cancer Institute's public inquiry section: (800) 422-6237, for information and publications about cancer risks, screening tests and smoking cessation tips. NCI also provides information about research on specific cancers.
* National Institutes of Health: (301) 496-4891, for information about free medical care available to patients who agree to take part in federal studies. To qualify a patient should be referred by a physician.
* National Health Information Center: (800) 336-4797, for the latest research about a specific disease.
