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Designing the Healthy Bodies, Healthy Souls church‐based diabetes prevention program through participatory research
Author(s) -
Summers Amber,
Goheer Attia,
Rikoon Amy R,
Gittelsohn Joel
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.971.41
Subject(s) - intervention (counseling) , participatory action research , community based participatory research , christian ministry , laziness , healthy eating , medicine , psychology , gerontology , physical activity , nursing , political science , sociology , physical therapy , psychiatry , anthropology , law
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Souls aims to reduce diabetes risk among urban African Americans by creating healthy food and physical activity environments both within and around churches. Twelve planning meetings were held in 3 churches to identify and prioritize foods and behaviors that contribute to obesity and diabetes in the church community, and to develop intervention strategies. On average 12.0 (range 4 to 20) adults were recruited through church announcements and word‐of‐mouth to attend planning meetings, including pastors, health ministry leaders, and church congregants. Members of the research team moderated the planning meetings and introduced discussion themes. Attendees brainstormed key issues for each theme and prioritized each using a dot voting system. Themes (and top vote‐getters) included problem foods in the church (fried chicken, white bread, macaroni and cheese) and at home (fried meats, candy, fast food) and alternatives to these foods, barriers to healthy eating (time, taste, convenience) and physical activity (lack of commitment/motivation, laziness, time), healthy food‐related behaviors (portion control, avoid eating late, pass healthy habits to children), and messages and media tools to promote change. This approach facilitated the design of culturally appropriate, potentially sustainable intervention components that will be implemented in the churches. Grant Funding Source : American Diabetes Association Clinical Research Award