Black and African American Health and Resources
OMH is committed to addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities and Black and African American communities. SDOH are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
This Black History Month, OMH is focusing on the SDOH related to food insecurity that impact Black and African American communities and correlate with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and maternal and infant mortality.
In 2021, nearly 20 percent of Black and African American individuals lived in a food-insecure household, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as a household unable to acquire adequate food because of insufficient funds and other resources for food.
Predominantly Black and African American neighborhoods may have fewer full-service supermarkets than mostly white and non-Hispanic neighborhoods, leading to potentially higher food prices, lower-quality foods, and less variety of foods.
Read on to see how SDOH affect these individual health concerns for Black and African American communities and to find helpful resources from OMH's partners to share with your communities, patients, and organizations.
Visit Healthy People 2030 to learn more about SDOH, federal efforts to address SDOH, and research related to SDOH.
In September 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration hosted the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.
Obesity, Heart Disease, and Diabetes
Food insecurity is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease 
, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. It can be influenced by SDOHs like lack of access to nutritious foods and income and contributed to health disparities and inequities Black and African American communities face.
Obesity contributes to type 2 diabetes and hypertension and leads to the development of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease mortality. Along with physical activity, a healthy eating plan that stays within required daily calorie needs and includes a wide variety of whole foods has been shown to help prevent these conditions.
Want to learn more about how nutrition impacts the health outcomes of Black and African American patients? Browse a short collection of free, related resources in the OMH Knowledge Center online catalog .
Federal Resources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- FDA Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE)
Non-Federal Resources
Maternal and Infant Mortality
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 700 women die each year in the United States due to pregnancy or delivery complications. Pregnant Black and African American women are more than three times as likely to die due to maternal complications than their white counterparts.
Maternal pregnancy complications also present challenges for the infant. They are one of the leading causes of infant mortality.
Many SDOH play a role in maternal and infant health, including income, exposure to unsafe air or water, and lack of access to health care and nutritious food. In 2021, very low food security was more prevalent than the national average for households with reference persons who are Black and African American.
Better nutrition is related to improved infant, child, maternal, and immune health and safer pregnancy and childbirth.
Want to learn more about how food security and access play a role in achieving positive maternal and infant outcomes for Black and African American families? Browse a short collection of free, related resources in the OMH Knowledge Center online catalog .
Federal Resources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)