Study: Black women choose hair over health

According to a Wake Forest University 2007 study, 40 percent of Black women don't exercise because of hair concerns. 

The study, recently published in the Archives of Dermatology, surveyed 103 Black women between the ages of 21 and 60. 

"As an African-American woman, I have that problem and my friends have that problem. So I wondered if my patients had that problem," said Amy McMichael, dermatologist at the WFU School of Medicine. 

McMichael served as senior researcher for the study. 

Results showed that 50 percent of the women surveyed have altered their hairstyles to accommodate exercise. 

Nearly 40 percent admitted avoiding exercise because of hair issues. 

Linda Boyd, freshman accounting major from Durham, said maintaining her hair isn't easy when she chooses to exercise. 

"I exercise about once a week," Boyd said. 

She said she has skipped exercise plenty of times because of her hair. 

"Especially when I just get it done," she said. 

Boyd, who has been natural for five years, said she gets her hair done at a salon and spends anywhere from $45 to $180 each visit. 

One of her major concerns is that her hair can sweat out after exercise and her solution to flat-iron her hair can be damaging. 

"It's unhealthy," she said. 

Boyd said she has found other solutions like wrapping her hair and exercising in cool places. 

Although she has skipped exercise because of her hair, Boyd said she understands the importance of exercising for a healthy lifestyle. 

"The only real reason I even think about exercising is because I see members of my family with so many health problems which could have been avoided if they exercised earlier in life," she said. 

Boyd isn't the only person to skip exercise to save her hair. 

Brittany Batts, junior mass communications major from Rocky Mount, N.C., has also dealt with concerns about her hair and exercise. 

"Once I work out it [my hair] looks a mess," she said. 

Batts said she tries to exercise every day but it's difficult to maintain her hair at the same time. 

"Most of the time I just end up having to go get my hair done," she said. 

Batts said her monthly hair expenses total about $100 to $150. 

"It's a lot [of money]," she said. 

Although Black women may take their hair into consideration when deciding to exercise, it isn't a major concern, said Cynthia Williams Brown, chair of the department of human performance & sport sciences. 

"It [hair] may make them decide on the type of activity they choose," she said. 

Brown said low-intensity exercise is one solution for Black women with hair concerns. 

"I do low-impact [exercise] like walking," Brown said. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

According to a 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about half of all U.S. women were exercising for close to 150 minutes. 

The WFU study found that 50 percent of the participants reported exercising for less than 75 minutes per week, less than half the recommended minimum time. 

"A lot of people are not educated about how much physical activity they need to stay healthy," Brown said. 

She said if people learn about the recommended minimum time to exercise, it won't be hard to work out for that amount of time. 

Further results of the WFU study showed that more than 25 percent of participants didn't exercise at all; meaning a number of Black women weren't getting the same amount of exercise as others due to hair issues and other concerns. 

Coincidentally, it is Black women that are at the center of the obesity crisis in America. 

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, four out of five Black women are overweight or obese. 

In 2010, DHHS reported that black women were 70 percent more likely to be obese than white women. 

Brown has started multiple exercise programs at Winston-Salem State geared specifically toward Black women. 

She said the participants in her exercise programs are usually less concerned about their hair and more concerned about health. 

Her most recent program, Sisters Together Empowered for Prevention and Success to a Healthier Heart, targets older Black women that are at risk for heart disease. 

Terreyca Taylor, STEPS project coordinator, said the only time she has heard a program participant complain about her hair and exercise is during water aerobics. 

She said despite the complaints, participants were willing to try the sport after learning of ways to keep their hair dry. 

Brown said she hopes Black women will choose health over appearance. 

"If we choose our health then we'll find ways to deal with the other issues [hair]," she said.