Reducing Cardiovascular Risk of African Americans

Mid-life and older African Americans (AAs), a population that is increasing in number, have high rates of cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality in relation to Whites. For this population, dietary and physical activity behaviors are related to the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Few tested health promotion interventions tailored for mid-life and older AAs are available yet churches have been shown to be an effective environment for AA health programs. Thus, the overall goal of this project is to reduce CVD risk factors in mid-life and older AAs through implementing and evaluating a church-based health intervention. Using the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (TTM) and Socio-ecological theory (SE), the objectives of this project were to: 1) determine the effectiveness of a church-based intervention in relation to dietary behaviors (food choice, dietary quality), habitual physical activity) and CVD clinical risk factors of mid-life and older African Americans by increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables and calcium-rich foods; decreasing consumption of fat, sugar and sodium; increasing habitual physical activity; and improving selected clinical outcomes (blood pressure, body weight, glucose, among others); 2) identify the differential influence of program components of the intervention; 3) examine variables that might mediate the process of goal achievement; and 4) determine variables that are related to stage of change progression in goal achievement. Midlife and older AAs (n=221) from six churches, three treatment and three comparison, in North Florida were randomly selected from the churches, stratifying by age and gender. The intervention, Health for Hearts United, was developed using a community-based participatory approach and included literature-based conceptual elements of awareness building, clinical learning and efficacy development. Instruments included a food and lifestyle habits questionnaire (food frequency, NCI fruit and vegetable screener, NCI fat screener, physical activity items, TTM items, background characteristics, among others). Clinical data, including 24 hour recall, were collected from a subsample of participants (n=104). Data were collected at four points: Baseline, 6 ,18 and 24 month. The project was guided by research and community advisory committees.