Study: Black Women Physically Age Slower, Age Faster On The Inside Than White
The expression “black don’t crack” is used to describe the tendency of African American women to retain their youthful physical appearance as they age. According to a new study, though their skin may be smoother and have less wrinkles than white women, black women are aging faster by 7.5 years on the inside, says health experts.
Dr. Michelle Gourdine, a former deputy secretary of health and chief public health physician for Marland, attributes the accelerated biological aging to extreme stress that causes wear and tear on the internal organs of black women.
According to the study, some of these stress comes from having to juggle multiple roles, dealing with discrimination and cultural expectations of being a “strong black woman.”
Having these high levels of stress cause black women to be more susceptible to “cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, susceptibility to infection, carcinogenesis, and accelerated aging,” says the study.
In order to decrease stress levels, the study suggests stress-management techniques such as deep breathing and daily exercise.
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