The worldwide obesity rate has almost tripled since 1975, with more than 650 million adults living with obesity, and more than 40% of American adults are living with the disease. Racial differences do exist. Non-Hispanic Black people have the highest prevalence of obesity at 49.6%, followed by Hispanics (44.8%), non-Hispanic whites (42.2%) and non-Hispanic Asians (17.4%). "It's important to note that the group most affected by … obesity are people like me — Black women," Stanford said. The CDC survey found that nearly 60% of non-Hispanic Black women have obesity. While genetic factors can contribute to this difference, social and socioeconomic conditions are also responsible. "If we look at chronic stress, Black women traditionally have the highest stress levels and experience the most racism," Stanford explained. She added that chronic stress can lead to excess fat tissue in the midsection, which increases the risk for other diseases.