Obesity is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and has been declared a national health priority, with higher prevalence among African American/Black women.1 In the U.S., the obesity epidemic is widespread across all age groups, with rates in racial and ethnic minority populations apparent as early as the school years.2,3 Social Determinants of Health, sedentary behavior, easy access to caloric dense foods of lower nutritional value, and inadequate health insurance coverage place racial/ethnic minority populations such as Blacks/African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos at higher risk of multiple chronic diseases and poor quality of life. Moderate and severe obesity increases the risk of obesity-related complications, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes,4 and recent findings revealed that obesity is a risk factor for hospitalization and death because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).5 Intervention efforts for treating and preventing obesity require a multifactorial approach given that contributing factors can include diet, physical activity, stress, income, psychological factors, and access to treatments.2 [American Journal of Preventative Medicine July 2022]

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