Overweight or obese white American women are more likely than black women to seek help with dieting.

This includes professional counseling, prescription medicine, suggestions from a trainer, and membership in a weight-loss support group.

So says a study of 120 Philadelphia women which appears in the latest issue of the journal, Ethnicity & Disease.

Both whites and blacks were concerned about body shape and weight. But body image motivated more white women to seek help with dieting.

Some experts suggest that black women may be less likely to attend weight loss groups led by white women. Or it may be that black women seek help from family members first.

Surprisingly, neither blacks nor whites said that obesity-related health concerns caused them to lose weight.

For both blacks and whites, exercise programs at work could be helpful.

It seems that all women, regardless of race, don’t focus on fitness enough because they’re too busy working and taking care of others.

But then, we already knew that, didn’t we, ladies?