Does it seem silly to call hairstyles saboteurs in the war on obesity? In 2011, US Surgeon General Regina Benjamin called upon hairdressers to suggest exercise-friendly hairstyles to women. She found herself using her hairstyle as an excuse to skip exercise. A study of African American women found that one third used their hairstyles as an excuse to not exercise.
We All Get Hat Hair
Hair concerns cross all boundaries of ethnicity, age and gender. A hat will keep your head from getting sunburned, only to leave your hair a crushed and sweaty mess. Ponytails or braids can leave your hair with weird waves until you get around to washing it. Should you just cut your hair short or even shave it off and be done with the problem?
Here are some common hair and hat solutions.
- The Ponytail
- Buns and Braids
- Buzzed, Spiked or Bald
- Walking Hats: rated for their hat hair potential.
Source:
Smith, S. Presentation at the Fourth International Symposium of the L’Oréal Institute for Ethnic Hair & Skin Research. Miami, Florida. November 9-11, 2000.
African American Women's Hair Issues and Engagement in Physical Activity Focus Groups. Executive Summary, AARP. November, 2009.
