I’ll Just Weight on the Lord: The Lived Experience of Obesity, Spirituality, and Health Behaviors in African American Women

Obesity is one of the fastest growing health concerns impacting all racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic groups in the United States of America. Obesity has gained nationwide attention due to its health-related disorders such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and various cancer types that increase the annual medical cost on a financially stressed health system (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2022). Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in all races and genders within the US with African American women comprising a majority of those impacted by this chronic health condition (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Offices of Minority Health (OMH), 2022). Obesity rates are well documented within the literature but what is lacking is the role spirituality may play in obese African American women and their health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of obese African American women with attention and focus on weight, health behaviors, and spirituality. This study consisted of participant recruitment from various social organizations, beauty salons, and faith-based organizations. Recommendations included diversifying healthcare providers, implement community-based interventions and research, and complete knowledge assessments before education. Future research opportunity, utilize beauticians as lay community members of a research study to provide education and initiate hard conversations regarding weight, health behaviors, and interventions to their clientele.