Growing up in a single parent household can affect the health of African-American boys, the National Institutes of Health reveals.
Howard University studied 515 African-American males and their living arrangements. Researchers analyzed their blood pressure rates and the incidence of hypertension, extended high blood pressure.
In the study, African-American boys who grew up in a two-parent household had significantly lower blood pressure levels than those who grew up with one parent, regardless of mother or father. Participants who lived in a two-parent household for one to twelve years saw the most positive health outcomes. The study doesn’t mention the genders of the two-parent households.
“Being raised by a single parent really puts kids at a disadvantage in terms of resources that would be available to them,” said Charles Rotimi, Ph.D., co-author of the study. “Our study is not an indictment of single-parent homes. Single parents, however, may struggle more to keep things together, and this may be impacting children in ways that later manifest as adult onset diseases.”
Single parents may struggle with making sure their kids get proper nutrition through optimal diet options. Many single parents may depend on unhealthy food choices like fast food more often than a two-parent household. Diet and obesity are factors that contribute to hypertension.
Hypertension is one of many life-threatening conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and heart attack that impact the African-American community. According to the National Institutes of Health, 39 percent of men and 43 percent of women of African-Americans are affected. More research will be conducted to determine other socioeconomic factors that could contribute to the higher rate.
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