A Systematic Narrative Review of Recent Obesity Interventions with Black Women in the United States

This study is to comprehensively review recent obesity interventions for Black women in the United States.

We searched PubMed and EBSCOhost for articles published between 2013 and 2022 using a comprehensive search strategy. Two reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts. Data from the included articles were extracted. Qualitative themes related to the intervention designs were identified across studies.

Fifty-two studies were included in the review. Interventions typically aimed to reduce weight by targeting diet and/or physical activity. Intervention activities were delivered virtually and in-person via several formats including didactic content and interactive sessions. Outcomes were assessed through a variety of research designs. Across papers, we identified six key themes of intervention design: integration of technology, centering community and culture, personalization of content, use of social support, skill-building through intervention activities, and addressing comorbid health conditions.

To address the obesity epidemic, future research can build upon key lessons learned from recent interventions tailored to Black women.