Why I Reported on Obesity and Diet Culture in Black America

By Annissa Durham | Word In Black (WIB) – I was 8 and remember thinking my thighs were too big. I was 11 when I started my first diet. At 13, I was obsessed with the plant-based and vegan “culture” of dieting. Rarely did anyone question me when I said I needed to lose weight.  Looking back, I was an active kid at a healthy weight. But in my mind, I always needed to be thinner and smaller. I now know the way I portioned my food, skipped meals, and prioritized “clean” eating was just a disguise for disordered eating.& American culture is known to set a value and worth on people’s bodies, and that’s why I wanted to take on this project. Last year, I was intrigued with the idea of talking to other Black folks about what they think about their weight and body image in the age of “miracle drugs.”& I knew each conversation would be unique. However, where the conversations took me was surprising. Black people across the country, of different genders, ages, and backgrounds talked about grief, sexual abuse, self-hatred, self-love, and what it means to be a Black person whose body is constantly ridiculed...