We recently had the chance to connect with Candace Oates and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Candace, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Obesity Awareness IN Action (OAA) is a non-profit dedicated to teaching health and wellness across the 8 dimensions of wellness. Because our name includes the word “Obesity,” it’s easy for people to assume we only work with those who are currently struggling with weight. In reality, our mission is preventive and proactive.
We focus on youth to help decrease the chances of obesity in adulthood by providing well-rounded, practical guidance that spans all eight dimensions of wellness. These dimensions typically include physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental, occupational, and financial well-being. By addressing each area, we equip young people with the tools and habits they need to lead healthier, more balanced lives—well before weight becomes a concern.
Key points to clarify:
Our emphasis is prevention and education, not labeling or stigmatizing individuals by weight.
We aim to empower youth with holistic strategies—nutrition, physical activity, mental resilience, healthy relationships, safe environments, lifelong learning, financial literacy related to health, and purpose-driven goals.
The “Obesity” in our name reflects our commitment to addressing a critical public health issue, but our programs are inclusive, universal, and designed for all youth, regardless of current body size.
In short, the misunderstanding we see most often is equating the organization with a weight-focused charity rather than a comprehensive wellness initiative. Our work is about prevention, empowerment, and the eight dimensions of wellness—so that healthy futures begin long before obesity becomes a risk.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Obesity Awareness IN Action (OAA). I’m passionate about metabolic diseases and preventative health, with a personal perspective that informs our work: I’ve lost over 150 pounds, and that experience has deepened my commitment to helping youth embrace healthier futures.
OAA is unique due to our preventive, holistic approach to health, guided by the 8 dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental, occupational, and financial well-being.
A youth-first focus that equips young people with practical, scalable strategies to reduce the risk of obesity and related metabolic diseases as they grow.
A mission-driven nonprofit that seeks to empower, educate, and inspire lasting lifestyle changes—not stigmatize or label individuals by weight.
We are actively developing and expanding our preventive programs for youth, emphasizing nutrition, physical activity, mental resilience, healthy relationships, safe environments, lifelong learning, financial literacy related to health, and purpose-driven living.
I’m leading a pivotal initiative to establish an OAA Shoe Donation Program. We aim to fund and distribute new shoes to the most deserving youth through partnerships with Scheels and DSW. This program will remove a practical barrier to participation in physical activity and daily life, reinforcing our commitment to actionable, tangible impact.
Our name includes “Obesity,” but our mission is comprehensive wellness: prevention, empowerment, and ongoing education for all youths, regardless of current body size.
Our work is driven by lived experience, evidence-based practice, and a belief that healthier futures start with small, consistent steps taken now.
We are actively seeking partners and supporters who share our vision to expand programs—especially the shoe donation initiative—to reach more young people who can benefit from accessible, inclusive wellness resources. I am proud to represent an organization (OAA) that is turning the science of wellness into real-world action for today’s youth.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
My defining moment was the COVID-19 pandemic. It exposed a painful truth: many deaths and severe outcomes were avoidable with better health knowledge, preventive care, and equitable access to resources. The crisis underscored how gaps in wellness education across the eight dimensions of health—physical, emotional, intellectual, social, environmental, spiritual, occupational, and financial—can have life-or-death consequences.
From that realization, Obesity Awareness IN Action (OAA) was born. We formed with a clear purpose: to translate health science into practical, preventive guidance for youth before risk factors accumulate. The pandemic reinforced two core convictions that drive our work today:
Proactive prevention beats reactive treatment: equipping young people with holistic wellness tools can reduce the likelihood of metabolic diseases and other health challenges down the line.
Access and education matter: wellness knowledge must be delivered in an inclusive, actionable way, so every youth has the opportunity to lead a healthier life, regardless of background or circumstance.
That moment continues to shape our approach: we prioritize practical programming, focus on early intervention, and strive to remove barriers that prevent young people from engaging in healthy behaviors. The goal is simple but transformative—give today’s youth the habits and resources that lead to healthier futures, well before a crisis arises.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes—during the first three years of starting Obesity Awareness IN Action (OAA). Those early years tested our resolve: very little belief in our nonprofit, persistent naysayers, scarce funding, and events with few attendees. It would have been easy to retreat or reshape the mission to fit the moment, but I chose a different path.
What sustained us:
Finding supporters who believed in the mission: mentors, partners, volunteers, and youth who showed up with curiosity and hope.
Focusing on the mission rather than the momentum: keeping our eyes on the eight dimensions of wellness and the preventive purpose behind our work.
Taking small, consistent steps: incremental wins—even when invisible to outsiders—began to compound into real progress.
The turning point came when we connected with people who shared our belief in prevention, holistic wellness, and youth empowerment. Their trust, encouragement, and practical support helped us secure partnerships, sharpen our programs, and steadily grow our impact.
The core takeaway: when you’re pursuing a meaningful mission, you don’t quit because the road is hard—you double down on the belief, seek out allies, and keep taking the next small, doable step. That perseverance is what ultimately turns doubt into momentum.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would tell you that what matters most to me is being reliable and genuinely caring—someone who does the right thing even when no one is watching. I strive to stand up for my beliefs and act with integrity, regardless of whether others stand with me. Put simply: I do what is right, even when it’s difficult, 100% of the time.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story people tell is that I cared deeply about the future and dedicated myself to saving lives and giving back to society without expectation of reward. I want to be remembered as someone who turned concern into action, built bridges to healthier futures for youth, and left behind programs, partnerships, and resources that continue to empower others long after I’m gone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.oaamovement.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lowcarbcandace.oaa
- Linkedin: www.linkesin.com/CandaceOatrs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oaamovement
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/HealthyLivingWithCandace
