Abstract
The participant will be able to describe the outcomes of a 12-week intervention to promote weight loss designed and implemented by a faith based partnership.
Text
A faith based partnership of public health, academic and community-based organizations designed and implemented a 12-week education and exercise intervention. It consisted of weekly meetings with lectures, cooking, and physical activity designed to improve the health and well-being of overweight African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church members. Two cohorts of health improvement groups at ten churches completed the twelve-week intervention. In cohort one, fifty-five participants (about half of those initially enrolled) provided weight and BMI data. At the end of twelve weeks, participants had an aggregate weight loss of 205 pounds or an average of 3.7 pounds per person and nearly 75% of the enrollees improved their BMIs. Average BMI for the initial cohort decreased from 35.9 at baseline to 34.6 at the end of the intervention. In three of the groups, more than 80% of participants improved their BMIs. In cohort two, fifty participants (60% of those initially enrolled) had an aggregate weight loss of 101.6 pounds or an average of 1.86 pounds per person after the 12-week intervention. Fifty percent of the groups met their aggregate physical activity goal of 90 minutes exercised per week and approximately 30% of participants improved their BMI from an average of 33.68 to 33.40. Partnerships with public health, academic and community-based organizations allow faith-based programs to leverage available expertise and resources. This partnership has proven to be an effective strategy for engaging and reaching the African American community regarding weight and health issues.
Text
A faith based partnership of public health, academic and community-based organizations designed and implemented a 12-week education and exercise intervention. It consisted of weekly meetings with lectures, cooking, and physical activity designed to improve the health and well-being of overweight African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church members. Two cohorts of health improvement groups at ten churches completed the twelve-week intervention. In cohort one, fifty-five participants (about half of those initially enrolled) provided weight and BMI data. At the end of twelve weeks, participants had an aggregate weight loss of 205 pounds or an average of 3.7 pounds per person and nearly 75% of the enrollees improved their BMIs. Average BMI for the initial cohort decreased from 35.9 at baseline to 34.6 at the end of the intervention. In three of the groups, more than 80% of participants improved their BMIs. In cohort two, fifty participants (60% of those initially enrolled) had an aggregate weight loss of 101.6 pounds or an average of 1.86 pounds per person after the 12-week intervention. Fifty percent of the groups met their aggregate physical activity goal of 90 minutes exercised per week and approximately 30% of participants improved their BMI from an average of 33.68 to 33.40. Partnerships with public health, academic and community-based organizations allow faith-based programs to leverage available expertise and resources. This partnership has proven to be an effective strategy for engaging and reaching the African American community regarding weight and health issues.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | A28 |
| Journal | Journal of The American Dietetic Association |
| Volume | 106 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 1 2006 |
Disciplines
- Pathology
- Medicine and Health Sciences
- Gerontology