The relationship between obesity and health outcomes such as mortality and heart failure (HF) in African Americans was further explored from the Jackson Heart Study.

Increasing body mass index (BMI) was not associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality in African Americans.

However, increasing BMI was associated with increasing risk for prevalent HF and HF hospitalization in African Americans.

Obesity remains a major public health concern and should be considered as an important risk factor for long-term morbidity in African American populations and a potential target for intervention.