Weight loss plans often miss black women

By Loneke Blackman Carr, University of Connecticut and Jameta Nicole Barlow, George Washington University People who are obese or overweight are at higher risk of developing several chronic diseases andreswd/E+ via Getty Images The popularity of weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro continue to reflect Americans’ desire to slim down. While these new drugs have offered a solution for people struggling with obesity, many eligible patients – especially Black adults – cannot afford the high price. These drugs are also not a one-stop solution for better health, as healthy eating and regular exercise are also key to losing weight. But current weight loss interventions based on lifestyle changes largely fail to meet the needs of Black women. As community health researchers, we wondered why scientists have been unable to craft a lifestyle-based weight loss solution that works for Black women. So we reviewed 10 years of research on weight loss interventions based on lifestyle changes. We found that only a few studies focused on Black women, and those that did often resulted in only small amounts of weight loss and were inconsistent in how they approached weight loss. Why is that? Missing the mark for Black women Obesity...