Presentation on the "New Black Cultural Diet" for Journalists meeting at North Carolina A and T - (Greensboro, NC)

Two days ago, I traveled to Greensboro, NC and visited the campus of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. It was my first time at NC A and T and I had a very enjoyable time before, during and after my presentation. I was invited to campus and the Institute for Advanced Journalism Studies to present my book -- "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet," to a number of renowned journalists across the country in NC A and T's Institute for Advanced Journalism Studies.

I didn't know what to expect with this type of presentation, but it went very well. During and after my presentation, they asked a number of investigative questions and I believed that I answered all of their questions particularly about the New Black Cultural Diet (www.newblackculturaldiet.com). In fact, several of the journalists indicated that they will contact me later for follow-up interviews!

After my presentation, I joined the journalists for an Awards Luncheon entitled, "Vernon Jarrett Medical for Journalistic Excellence." The awards luncheon honored the late Mr. Vernon Jarrett - the nation's most prominent commentator on race relations and African American history. The honorees of this year's award were:

• Mr. Les Payne,
• Mr. Jeff Koinange
• Mr. Byron Pitts

I had a very, very enjoyable time at the luncheon! I felt very much connected to many of the cultural issues highlighted during the awards luncheon. This awards luncheon was well presented and timely because of all the cultural African American issues in the media now!

I also have to give special recognition to the individual responsible for organizing the Awards Luncheon, Directing the Institute for Advance Journalism Studies at NC A and T and for Inviting me to give a talk to the journalists -- Mr. Dewayne Wickman! Thanks!! I also want to thank all of his assistants for helping me to give my talk!

Presentation at The 3rd Annual Jean Mills Health Symposium - Greenville, North Carolina - February 9th, 2007

It was my pleasure to participate in a new annual event associated with East Carolina University and Eastern AHEC entitled -- "The Jean Mills Health Symposium." This was the 3rd annual event which honors the memory of Jean Mills. Keeping the tradition continuing, Mr. Amos T. Mills, III sponsors the event in collaboration with East Carolina University, Pitt Memorial Hospital Foundation and Eastern AHEC. The symposium helps to address current health issues affecting African Americans and Hispanic Populations in eastern North Carolina. The symposium is designed to:

1. Identify current issues in health disparities research;
2. Describe current ECU research evidence in health disparities;
3. Discuss the future directions of health disparities research at ECU;
4. Provide networking opportunities for researchers, practitioners and community who are interested in reducing health disparities; and
5. Apply health disparities research in practice to reduce health disparities and improve health services.

As Mr. Amos Mills, III emphasized in his message to the audience -- "We need to solve the problem of obesity.....because this relates to all of the major chronic health problems affecting the African American population.... it is a human problem."

There were several faculty presenters from East Carolina University including the Keynote Speaker -- Dr. James Johnson -- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In the early afternoon, I gave my presentation during the session entitled, "The Impact of Obesity and Nutrition." This presentation focused on the major cultural health issues related to my book entitled, "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet." I talked about how African Americans generally perceive health, body image, food, dieting, physical fitness, and exercise. Additionally, I presented my cultural health plan -- The New Black Cultural Diet -- to establish a lifestyle strategy that will be both effective and manageable.

The major objectives of my presentation were to:

1. Provide health disparity data on overweight and obesity issues related to African Americans;
2. Highlight one of my research studies showing the disparity in the African American population;
3. Present qualitative data on African Americans' perspective related to body image, food preferences, and exercise/physical fitness.
4. Engage the audience to view and understand these cultural health issues from the perspective of the African American.

I had a great time presenting to this audience and they were very receptive to the major themes from my book. In fact, several participants shared some very insightful cultural health information on how they are individually modifying and changing their dietary pattern and lifestyle pattern in order to live a better quality of life! This was very rewarding to hear and I enjoyed their participation immensely!

That's the latest from this Medical Anthropologist!! As always, Follow Your Dream!!

Sign Your Purchased Book - "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America"

Greetings Everyone,

Now that my website -- The New Black Cultural Diet -- (www.newblackculturaldiet.com) has been officially launched and press releases have been distributed nationally, I want to make sure that anyone who would like a signed copy of my new book -- "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet" -- you can contact me through Amazon.com, this blog, or the New Black Cultural Diet website. I will be more than willing to sign your book and send it back to you.

So if anyone would like a signed copy of my book, send me an email (feedback@newblackculturaldiet.com) and I can give you the address where to send the book.

Look forward to signing your purchased book -- "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet."

Book Review from Greenville, North Carolina - The Daily Reflector

On August 28, Greenville's Daily Reflector printed an article on my book -- "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet." The book review was conducted by Erica Plouffe Lazure.

Here are a few comments about my book:

The reviewer states, "In his book, "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet," Eric J. Bailey examines social and cultural issues of food and obesity. "People want to make recipes exactly the same way it was years ago" Bailey said. "But you can use the same recipe your grandparents used and continue to keep that connection to them. You're honoring them by making the same dish but in a healthier way."

If you want to read the entire review (which I recommend), check it out at the following link:

Professor's Book Touts Food Choice

Book Review from Chicago Sun-Times


Greetings Everyone,

Yesterday, I just learned that the Chicago Sun-Times book reviewer, Maureen Jenkins, published her review on my book, "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet."

She specifically says,
"In Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet, medical anthropologist and professor Eric J. Bailey makes the case that blacks can maintain their rich culinary culture while managing their diets and controlling the dysfunction that come from being overweight."

"In Bailey's "new cultural approach," he seeks to develop "interventions" based upon how African Americans perceive the whole health and weight issue - and how they can draw upon their own cultural resources to effect postive change. This last chapter feels like a self-help to me, with Bailey speaking directly to readers and imploring them to buy into his perspective. He doesn't offer calorie counts or exercise suggestions; he's counting on readers to seek out methods that work best for them."

If you would like to read the entire review (which I recommend), please go to the following link:


Food for Thought
http://www.suntimes.com/output/books/cst-books-blackfoods20.html


Please feel free to send me your review of my book.

Book Signing at Barnes and Noble - Greenville, NC.

On July 20th, I was a part of a community event at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore in Greenville, North Carolina that celebrated local North Carolina authors. Along with myself, there were other authors such as LaDena Renwick Tilley (A Woman Called Job), Worth Forbes (From the Ground Up) and L. Diane Wolfe (James). All of us gave a brief overview of our books and then addressed questions from the great audience in the store.

A few of my colleagues from the Anthropology Department and the Public Health program at East Carolina University were in the audience as well as friends from the College of Arts and Communications. Finally, of course my wife, Gloria was present taking pictures.

Book Signing in Wilberforce, Ohio!

On July 2, 2006, I received a surprised book signing event in my home town of Wilberforce, Ohio. My mother organized the entire event. Family members, community members and church members all attended this event and it looked like everyone enjoyed it.

I signed all of the books, enjoyed greeting everyone and expressing my thanks for their hometown support for my latest book -- Food Choice and Obesity in Black America.

Additionally, the local newspaper -- Xenia Daily Gazette -- ran a feature story highlighting this local book signing event.

This event was a major success and I am glad that all family members and friends came.

Book Reviews from Ebony Magazine and the Arizona Republic Newspaper
on my new book, "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet."

Ebony Magazine
2006 July Issue


“The fact that African Americans are developing more weight-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancers suggests that we are not connecting the two issues—overweight and chronic disease,” writes medical anthropologist Eric J. Bailey, author of Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: Creating a New Cultural Diet. “So we are not developing long-term solutions for these issues of overweight and obesity in our communities.” (page 80)

Arizona Republic Newspaper
June 14, 2006


“Not only is obesity more prevalent among Black Americans than other ethnic groups, Blacks also are more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And they are more likely to experience higher rates of serious complications from the disease, such as blindness, amputation and end-stage renal disease. There are many cultural reasons for the higher rates of obesity, as Bailey cites in his book, having to do not only with food but also with physical activity.”–Arizona Republic

Welcome,

My name is Eric J. Bailey and I am a Medical Anthropologist. You are probably thinking, "What is a Medical Anthropologist?" A Medical Anthropologist is a person who investigates health, illness, diseases and health care systems from a holistic and comprehensive perspective and attempts to understand these issues from the community's or individual's perspective. In general, the individual's and community's perspective are the key for understanding, working with, and developing any cultural intervention.

My academic degrees are as follows:
1. Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology (B.A.) -- Miami University (Ohio) -- 1980
2. Master's Degree in Anthropology (M.A.) -- Miami University (Ohio) -- 1983
3. Doctorate in Anthropology (Ph.D.) -- Wayne State University (Michigan) -- 1988
4. Master's Degree in Public Health (M.P.H.) -- Emory University (Georgia) -- 1996

I have just completed my new book entitled, "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: An Anthropologist Offers a New Cultural Diet." This new book provides a cultural and holistic analysis of Black American food preferences. I show you how African Americans generally perceive health, body image, food, dieting, physical fitness, and exercise. In fact, my new book offers a new "cultural" diet strategy for us and a way to work together collectively to not only understand this critical health issue but also to start a new cultural lifestyle strategy that will be both effective and manageable for anyone.

You can order my new book through the publisher's website -- Greenwood Publishing or Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com

So I encourage you to take a look at my new book -- "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America: An Anthropologist Offers a New Cultural Diet." Once you read it, let me know what you think about it! There will be more to come!!

Check out my new website: www.newblackculturaldiet.com. It is the follow-up to my new book and it is the best way to learn more about the current issues related to African American diet and fitness.