According to the, It’s Bigger Than Me platform, more than 40% of adults in the United States—two out of every five—are living with obesity. It is a chronic and misunderstood health condition with an impact that goes far beyond what shows up on a scale. When it comes to talking about weight, empathy and openness are lacking, especially in the Black community. The It’s Bigger Than Me movement, presented by Novo Nordisk, aims to fix that by educating communities through science to understand that obesity is a manageable health condition.
“A snowball effect happens when patients and healthcare providers do not understand obesity as a chronic disease and how it can impact a person’s health. People need a trusted and trained provider to confide in who will take the time to go through all the complexities that contribute to obesity,” says North Carolina-based Tiffany Lowe Clayton, DO, who has a family practice in bariatric medicine.
Launched in October 2021, “It’s Bigger Than Me” is a movement that aims to destigmatize obesity. During the campaign’s launch, hip-hop legend Queen Latifah was the face of it, tackling obesity head-on with a video series to inspire others to start having honest conversations about the shame, bias, and stigma surrounding the disorder. In less than a year, the movement expanded on those conversations with the “It’s Bigger Than Me: Live Tour.” It was a three-city tour encouraging and empowering honest conversations about weight and wellness. The event was hosted by Queen Latifah and included a panel of experts to discuss the complexities contributing to people suffering from the disease.
On Wednesday, March 8, It’s Bigger Than Me will launch its next chapter, a series moderated by celebrated actress Yvette Nicole Brown and involving a panel of influencers and healthcare professionals. Continuing the successful It’s Bigger Than Me live tri-city tour last year, the series aims to dispel myths surrounding obesity and educate viewers about the challenges at the intersection of culture and health.
It makes sense that the organization tapped Brown to be amongst the panel of experts as she battled obesity and Type 2 diabetes, an experience that left her wanting to advocate for the health of others in the Black community and inform more people about the disease. We spoke with Brown to discuss her work for the It’s Bigger Than Me Movement, her weight-loss journey, and what she learned from her own battle with obesity.
ESSENCE: Why did you want to join the It’s Bigger Than Me Movement?
Yvette Nicole Brown: I’ve been living with obesity my entire life, so it’s essential to ensure people know that obesity is a disease. I know for most of my life, I didn’t know that. And so, it was important to use the platform I have to spread the word. And this, It’s Bigger Than Me, began with a beautiful tour that Queen Latifah did, and I could take part in that. And now we’ve segued to a video series that will debut on March 8, and then we’ll have new videos every other week through April. It’s creating a safe space to talk about obesity being a disease and that we hope people choose health over vanity, take care of their health, and ensure they’re doing all right. I’m so happy to be a part of it.
Why is the movement so important to you? I know you’ve mentioned obesity being a disease in your health journey.
I think it’s one of the last stigmas; people feel free to make jokes and comment on obesity. You wouldn’t stare at someone with a disease on the street, but people will stare at people dealing with obesity. I think if more people knew that it’s a disease, maybe they would treat it the way they treat heart disease or diabetes and understand that those of us that are living with obesity are working our way through it, and what we require is kindness and decency, empathy, and respect. This movement is hoping to create that environment so those of us who are living with obesity or love someone who’s living with obesity, or those of us who want to know more about it, have a destination to go to to find out the answers that they need.
How do you think that this movement is inspiring a healthy lifestyle? Outside of emphasizing the need for physical wellness and addressing stigmas, this is also more of a healing journey.
Absolutely. Once you realize obesity is a disease, your first stop is a doctor, right? Because if you got a diagnosis for anything else, your first thought would be a doctor. And so it takes the questioning out of it, it tells you, “Oh, so this is something that I can get help with. This is something that I don’t have to do myself; this is something that’s not about willpower. This is a disease.” And so I know who handles diseases — that’s doctors. The thing is, obesity is so complex; it’s not the same for any one person. So it’s not one size fits all or one plan for everyone. So that’s why it’s important to talk about it being a disease so people can find the program and the path that works for them. Health is always the goal. Health is wealth.
There’s a lot of shame around obesity in our culture. Can you talk to me a little bit about that shame?
We all know that obesity is prominent in the Black community. Two out of five Americans across the country are dealing with it. But in our community, it’s problematic. When we talk about shame, the more significant issue is not just the shame that is put on us. It’s the shame that we feel within ourselves. This feeling of, “Why can’t I do better? Why am I not better?” Once you embrace and understand that it’s a disease, you wouldn’t say that to yourself if you had, you know, cancer, or if you had diabetes, or you had heart disease, you wouldn’t turn the shame or the toughness on yourself. That’s why it’s vital to ensure that those living with this disease understand what it is. So we can love ourselves more and love ourselves better.
And how did you take that self-love approach with your health journey and weight loss?
Anyone who’s watched my career, I’ve been every size up and down, which will still be my experience. But when I got diabetes, it wasn’t cute anymore. It wasn’t fun anymore, right? And it’s funny that I took that seriously. I immediately went to my doctor and was like, “Oh, gosh, what can I do?” I didn’t yet know that obesity was also a disease, but if I had known that, I would have gone to the doctor a lot sooner. The goal is a long, healthy life, regardless of size.
Can you share some of the main themes you discussed with the healthcare professionals and influencers within the It’s Bigger Than Me video series?
We discussed why going to your doctor and figuring out a plan for yourself are important. We talk about how to navigate body positivity. You can love yourself and still make sure that you’re healthy. You don’t have to beat yourself up as you’re on your journey because you haven’t lost this weight. It’s all too outwardly focused. The video series is where we get into the marrow of the bone. It comes out right after World Obesity Day, on March 4, another opportunity for people to learn more about it. We all know someone living with this disease, every single one of us. Nobody on this planet has a family member, friend, co-worker, or loved one not dealing with obesity. And so when you want to understand more about what your loved one is going through, that’s what this initiative and this movement are all about.
Even if you think you are your goal weight, the insecurity remains. What challenges did you face spiritually with your weight-loss journey?
Understanding that no matter where I am, and this is not just about weight, this is about the entertainment industry as well, you could win an Oscar and still be questioned on the next steps; the goalpost is constantly moved, so you have to make peace with who you are and the space you take up in the world.
What are you most proud of, of your work in partnership with this initiative?
I’ve reached a point in my career where they would ask me to be a part of this, that they trust me with this message, and that they understand that I’ve walked the walk. That is what I’m most proud of. And the fact that it’s going to change lives. Getting to have this time with you, in ESSENCE, and being used in this way, makes me so proud because the goal is achieving in life, yes, but then what are you going to do once you’ve achieved with the platform you’ve been given? And for me, it’s important to use it to help others.
What do you want people who are suffering from obesity, those listening to these conversations to take away from this movement?
I want them to take away the understanding that they are enough, right as they are in the moment that they’re in. That health is the goal, not a specific size on the scale, that it is okay to take up space in this world, literally and figuratively, and that resources are available to them.
Tune into the “It’s Bigger Than Me” video series on itsbiggerthan.com starting March 8.