Psychologist: Minorities are obese because of racism

Rivera said Hispanics who believed negative stereotypes about themselves were three times more likely to be overweight or obese — evidence that the obesity comes from believing the stereotypes.

He said that these stereotypes were spread not only through the mass media, but also subconsciously through seemingly harmless social interactions, including so-called microaggressions.

“There are more subtle ways in conversations and interactions with others,” he said. “Although people don’t say explicitly ‘you are A, you are B,’ there are ways in which those messages are communicated,. It could be teachers. It could be your parents. It could be your friends.”