What black Americans can learn from ‘American Idol’ star Mandisa, who died of obesity

In April, Grammy Award-winning singer and former “American Idol” contestant Mandisa was found dead in her home by friends. The star’s death was deemed “natural” within the autopsy report of the star, who was just 47 years old, which also found that it was the result of “class III obesity-related complications.”

What is class III obesity?

Scientifically, obesity is decided by an individual’s body mass index (BMI), which measures the quantity of fat stored within the body based on the ratio of an individual’s height and weight. According to National Institute of HealthClass III obesity, previously referred to as morbid obesity, refers to a BMI of 40 or more. Although BMI analyzes usually are not at all times accurate for some patients (e.g. children), doctors use other tests to find out whether an individual is severely obese. Other criteria for a Class III diagnosis include a weight greater than optimal for an individual’s sex and height by 100 kilos and/or a BMI of 35 or greater and obesity-related health problems comparable to diabetes and hypertension.

Like the NIH, Dr. Nisha Parikh, associate director of women’s heart health at Northwell, explained how the condition can significantly increase an individual’s risk of chronic disease and reduce overall health and quality of life.

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Why it’s greater than just “weight loss”

Throughout her profession, Mandisa has been very honest about her weight reduction journey, often pouring her feelings about it into her music while celebrating and reflecting on the ups and downs of his journey.

“In addition to healthy eating and exercise, mental and emotional health are important,” Mandisa said Esencja Magazine in 2020 after losing 80 kilos. “I am a food addict and, like an alcoholic, I tend to hide my problems in something else. So even if I lost weight years ago, which I did, it would always come back until I learned to deal with my problems… I feel like I’ve gained and lost so much that I can’t afford to go back to that life.”

As Mandisa noted, obesity and weight can impact not only physical health, but additionally mental health. In fact, American Medical Association (AMA) recognizes obesity as a disease consisting of genetic, metabolic and behavioral symptoms that require mental help.

What can Black people learn from Mandisa’s obesity-related death?

It isn’t any secret that, normally, Black people within the United States are more at risk of a number of health problems. Whether it is the result of genealogy, lack of access to health care, or discriminatory health care practices, Black communities are at greater risk of diseases comparable to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, maternal mortality and more .

Unfortunately, provided that over 108 million American adults are currently obese, 49.9% non-Hispanic black men fall into the category. Similarly, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health found that black women have the very best rates of obesity or chubby in comparison with other groups within the United States, with 4 in 5 black women considered chubby or obese.

Living in obese society where Black Americans’ obesity problems are compounded by systemic struggles, it will be important for those with access to medical care to seek the advice of their doctors for support.

“First of all, consult your doctor. Our research has shown that women in particular are less likely to go to the doctor when we are overweight, and certainly even obese,” Parikh emphasized, explaining why women often think they need to lose weight before going to the doctor. “I would advise women to just stop thinking like that because as doctors, we want to see you right away.”