- The Top 10 Chronic Diseases with Highest Incidence Rates Among African Americans:
7 Dark Skln and Hypertension studies in VitaminDWiki 24 Dark Skln and Obesity studies in VitaminDWiki 25 Dark Skln and Diabetes studies in VitaminDWiki 18 Dark Skln and Cardiovascular studies in VitaminDWiki - 33+ VitaminDWiki Dark Skin studies have CANCER in the title
6 Dark Skln and Stroke studies in VitaminDWiki 8 Dark Skln and Kidney studies in VitaminDWiki - Only 1 VitaminDWiki Dark Skin study has ASTHMA in the title
6 Dark Skln and Depression studies in VitaminDWiki 2 Dark Skln and HIV studies in VitaminDWiki - 30 studies of Dark skin pregnancies
- 20 Dark Skin and Virus studies
The Top 10 Chronic Diseases with Highest Incidence Rates Among African Americans:
1. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
- 56.8% of Black men and 61.0% of Black women aged 20+ have hypertension 1
- African Americans develop hypertension earlier in life than other groups 2
- One in three African Americans suffers from high blood pressure 3
2. Obesity
- 49.6% of African Americans have obesity compared to 42.2% of non-Hispanic whites 4
- African American women have rates of 56.9% vs. 41.1% for African American men 4
- Highest obesity rates among all racial groups 4
3. Diabetes (Type 2)
- African Americans are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than white adults 5
- Over twice as likely to develop diabetes compared to white Americans 6
- More likely to suffer complications like end-stage renal disease and amputations 7
4. Heart Disease
- Leading cause of death among African Americans 1
- African Americans aged 18-49 are two times more likely to die of heart disease 3
- Young Black patients have increasing burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors 8
5. Stroke
- African Americans were 50% more likely to have a stroke than non-Hispanic white adults in 2018 9
- Black men had stroke death rates 2-3 times higher than other groups 10
- Higher stroke mortality rates in all regions, especially the South 10
6. Chronic Kidney Disease
- African Americans are more than 3 times as likely to have kidney failure compared to white Americans 11
- 18 times greater risk of end-stage renal disease due to hypertension in some regions 12
- Higher rates of kidney disease requiring dialysis or transplant 12
7. Asthma
- Black people are 40% more likely to have asthma than white people 13
- Black women are 84% more likely to have asthma than Black men 13
- Higher rates of emergency department visits and complications 14
8. Cancer
- African American men are 50% more likely to get lung cancer 7
- Higher rates of prostate cancer among Black men 7
- African American women under 35 are twice as likely to develop cancer 7
9. Depression and Anxiety
- 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems 15
- Depression was the most frequently examined chronic condition (70.2%) in African American families 16
- Lower rates of mental health treatment utilization 15
10. HIV/AIDS
- Black people account for 39% of new HIV diagnoses despite being 12% of the population 17
- HIV incidence rate of 45.0 per 100,000 among Black Americans vs. 5.3 for whites 18
- Black women account for 55% of new HIV infections among women 18
References
- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/black-health.htm
- https://www.pfizer.com/news/articles/health_disparities_among_african_americans
- https://www.centrastate.com/blog/7-common-health-concerns-african-americans-should-monitor/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10107750/
- https://www.bjc.org/news/african-americans-have-higher-risk-being-diagnosed-these-three-chronic-illnesses
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8183614/
- https://www.adventhealth.com/hospital/adventhealth-gordon/blog/health-conditions-impact-black-communities
- https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.123.029895
- https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/stroke-and-blackafrican-americans
- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db505.htm
- https://www.kidney.org/black-kidney-health-matters
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/whats-behind-racial-disparities-in-kidney-disease-2021020321842
- https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/asthma_in_black_community_fact_sheet.pdf
- https://www.lung.org/blog/asthma-burden-on-black-community
- https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/addressing-mental-health-black-community
- https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2020/19_0431.htm
- https://www.kff.org/hivaids/fact-sheet/the-impact-of-hiv-on-black-people-in-the-united-states/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9930518/
A total of 4 questions about dark skin health was asked of Perplexity AI June 2025
7 Dark Skln and Hypertension studies in VitaminDWiki This list is automatically updated
- Stroke 3 times more likely if dark skin woman has Hypertension before age 35 - Feb 2024
- 26 health factors increase the risk of COVID-19 – all are proxies for low vitamin D
- Increased health problems in blacks is similar to that of low vitamin D whites (John Singleton Stroke)
- Hypertension is more likely in those with darker skins (low vitamin D) 2017
- Vitamin D different relationship between whites and blacks for bone and plaque – June 2012
- Vitamin D accounts for 25 percent of the racial differences in blood pressure – Oct 2011
- Hypothesis that lack of vitamin D increases blood pressure in blacks – July 2010
24 Dark Skln and Obesity studies in VitaminDWiki This list is automatically updated
- Dark-skinned people have low vitamin D (Obese pregnant women in UK in this case) – Sept 2024
- UK vitamin D levels vs race and obesity (all less than 30 ng) – April 2024
- Predictors of low vitamin D: race, age, and BMI (confirmed now by Machine Learning) – Feb 2024
- Cancer of breast is highest in dark-skinned women (low Vitamin D: dark skin and obese) - Feb 2022
- Sarcopenia with obesity is more likely if dark skin, diabetes, OR COPD (all associated with low vitamin D)
- 26 health factors increase the risk of COVID-19 – all are proxies for low vitamin D
- Half of obese black teens achieved at least 30 ng of Vitamin D with 5,000 IU daily – June 2018
- Stroke outcome 6.9 X worse if black and overweight (all three related via low vitamin D) – March 2018
- Indoor pollution is a problem with obese black asthmatic children – May 2018
- Blacks are more obese, have lower Vitamin D, and have more Cancer etc. than whites – Feb 2018
- Increase in Vitamin D deficiency with weight and skin darkness – chart – March 2016
- 5,000 IU daily or 50,000 IU Vitamin D weekly repleted many dark skinned adolescents – RCT Dec 2015
- Obese diabetics with dark skins not benefit from 6,000 IU of vitamin D daily (no surprise) – RCT March 2015
- African-Americans at high risk of obesity and diabetes - 2011
- Bariatric surgery less than 30 ng of vitamin D – 82 pcnt teens, 100 pcnt of black teens – June 2012
- Low vitamin D associated with obesity-related diseases for ethnic minorities – Sept 2011
- Reasons for low response to vitamin D
- Telomeres improved when obese blacks took 2000 IU of vitamin D daily – Oct 2011
- Black women lacking Calcium and Vitamin D weighed more – Aug 2011
- Dark skinned obese not helped much by weekly 50000 IU dose of vitamin D – May 2011
- Black obese children had low vitamin D and more fat under skin than whites – Mar 2011
- Obesity in American-Indians and African-American teens
- Vitamin D3 in obese and non obese African American children – 2008
- Low vitamin D in teens: especially black or overweight – June 2010
25 Dark Skln and Diabetes studies in VitaminDWiki This list is automatically updated
- Dark Skin Diabetics and Vitamin D - many studies
- T1 Diabetes 6.5 X more likely in South African Blacks if poor Vitamin D Binding Protein – July 2022
- 26 health factors increase the risk of COVID-19 – all are proxies for low vitamin D
- Children in India – 1 in 7 extremely low Vitamin D, 1 in 10 prediabetic – Sept 2019
- Blacks die more often than whites of many diseases (they have less vitamin D) – 2012
- Diabetic blacks – 80 percent had low vitamin D (less than 20 ng) a decade before – Sept 2017
- Diabetes is associated with low vitamin D in various races, but not blacks – Sept 2015
- Diabetes (Type 1) 14X more likely in dark skin children with low levels of vitamin D – May 2015
- Obese diabetics with dark skins not benefit from 6,000 IU of vitamin D daily (no surprise) – RCT March 2015
- Diabetic glycation control is inversely related to Vitamin D in India – Feb 2015
- Type I diabetes in dark skin children associated with low vitamin D if far from equator – Jan 2015
- Dr. Holick video on vitamin D - March 2013
- African-Americans at high risk of obesity and diabetes - 2011
- Type 1 Diabetes associated with low vitamin D, especially in dark skinned youths – Dec 2012
- Hyperglycemia in black veterans is associated with low vitamin D – Nov 2012
- Diabetics with darker skin were more vitamin D deficient – May 2012
- Low vitamin D associated with obesity-related diseases for ethnic minorities – Sept 2011
- 97 percent of Native American children have less than 30 ng of vitamin D – Oct 2011
- Diabetic neuropathy and low vitamin D, especially in blacks - July 2011
- Studies linked low vitamin D and dark skin to Obesity, Diabetes, and heart – June 2011
- Not yet certain that vitamin D reduces cardiovascular and diabetes in blacks – Mar 2011
- Diabetes Statistics including more diabetes with darker skin – 2007
- Insulin resistance correlated with low vitamin D levels in Arab Americans – June 2010
- Insulin sensitivity associated with Vit D in A-A April 2010
- Vitamin D deficiency and insulin insensitivity in African Americans - 2010
18 Dark Skln and Cardiovascular studies in VitaminDWiki This list is automatically updated
- 26 health factors increase the risk of COVID-19 – all are proxies for low vitamin D
- After Heart Failure Blacks are 45 percent more likely to re-enter the hospital in a month – Oct 2020
- Hypertension not controlled by 26 ng of Vitamin D (50,000 IU bi-weekly A-A) – RCT Nov 2017
- Cardiovascular death reduction in dark skin migrants by just 1,000 IU of vitamin D – May 2015
- Types of vitamin D, African American teenage girls, and measures of heart fitness – Dec 2014
- Low vitamin D is a risk factor for vascular diseases in African Americans - Aug 2012
- Low vitamin D increases risk of cardiovascular disease in African Americans – 2011
- Low vitamin D associated with obesity-related diseases for ethnic minorities – Sept 2011
- Vitamin D accounts for 25 percent of the racial differences in blood pressure – Oct 2011
- Striking ethnic health disparity – blacks dying due to lack of vitamin D – Nov 2011
- Studies linked low vitamin D and dark skin to Obesity, Diabetes, and heart – June 2011
- 50000 IU vitamin D2 weekly helped blacks with heart problems – Feb 2011
- Not yet certain that vitamin D reduces cardiovascular and diabetes in blacks – Mar 2011
- Improved blood flow in blacks with just 2000 IU of vitamin D – Feb 2011
- Calcium with Vitamin D2 then D3 helps A-A after heart failure – Jan 2011
- Aortas of 16 year old blacks helped by 2000 IU of vitamin D – July 2010
- Race CVD and Vitamin D - Newsletter Mar 2010
- VitDCouncilMarch2010
33+ VitaminDWiki Dark Skin studies have CANCER in the title
The list is automatically updated
Items found: 33
6 Dark Skln and Stroke studies in VitaminDWiki This list is automatically updated
- Stroke 3 times more likely if dark skin woman has Hypertension before age 35 - Feb 2024
- Increased health problems in blacks is similar to that of low vitamin D whites (John Singleton Stroke)
- Stroke outcome 6.9 X worse if black and overweight (all three related via low vitamin D) – March 2018
- Blacks with strokes having low Vitamin D were 3 times more likely to have cognitive impairment – Nov 2016
- Low vitamin D is a risk factor for vascular diseases in African Americans - Aug 2012
- Twice as many fatal strokes among whites who were low on vitamin D – Jan 2012
8 Dark Skln and Kidney studies in VitaminDWiki This list is automatically updated
- Vitamin D treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease: monthly better than daily – RCT May 2022
- 26 health factors increase the risk of COVID-19 – all are proxies for low vitamin D
- Kidney Cancer differences with skin color probably due to vitamin D differences – May 2015
- Blacks have 4X more Kidney disease than whites – probably due to low vitamin D – March 2015
- Blacks have low vitamin D and have 50 percent more kidney failure – Sept 2011
- End stage kidney disease almost 3X more likely for blacks – 2009
- Virtually all black dialysis patients with low albumin are vitamin D deficient in the winter – Mar 2010
- Majority of blacks on dialysis were vitamin D deficient - March 2010
Only 1 VitaminDWiki Dark Skin study has ASTHMA in the title
The list is automatically updated
Items found: 1Title Modified Many possible associations of increased asthma in black children – Nov 2010 26 Nov, 2010
6 Dark Skln and Depression studies in VitaminDWiki This list is automatically updated
- Depressed black pregnant women should take vitamin D – April 2018
- Malay women 14 X more likely to be Vitamin D deficient than Chinese in Malay – July 2017
- Suicide rate among Native American teens increasing (yet no mention of low vitamin D) – May 2015
- First and 2nd generation migrants 2X more likely to have psychotic disorders – Jan 2013
- Pregnant blacks 50 pcnt more likely to be depressed if 3 ng less vitamin D – July 2012
- Psychosis in dark skinned people 3.5 X higher if low level of vitamin D – May 2012
2 Dark Skln and HIV studies in VitaminDWiki This list is automatically updated
30 studies of Dark skin pregnancies
20 Dark Skin and Virus studies
All of the top 10 chronic health problems of blacks are associated with low vitamin DPrinter Friendly Follow this page for updates69 visitors, last modified 26 Jun, 2025, This page is in the following categories (# of items in each category)