Community Health Advisors' Characteristics and Behaviors, Role Performance, and Volunteer Satisfaction in a Church-Based Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Intervention

Interventions in faith-based settings are increasingly popular, due to their effectiveness for improving attendee health outcomes and behaviors. Little past research has examined the important role of the church environment in individual-level outcomes using objective environmental audits. This study examined associations between the objectively measured physical church environment and attendees’ perceptions of physical activity (PA) and healthy eating (HE) supports within the church environment, self-efficacy for PA and HE, and self-reported PA and HE behaviors. Data were collected via church audits and church attendee surveys in 54 churches in a rural, medically underserved county in South Carolina. Multi-level regression was used to analyze associations between the church environment and outcomes. Physical elements of churches were positively related to attendees’ perceptions of church environment supports for PA (B = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.05) and HE (B = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.09) and there was a significant interaction between perceptions of HE supports and HE church environment. Self-efficacy and behaviors for PA and HE did not show an association with the church environment. Future research should establish a temporal relationship between the church environment and these important constructs for improving health. Future faith-based interventions should apply infrastructure changes to the church environment to influence important mediating constructs to health behavior.

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Changes in Men’s Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Knowledge and Behavior as a Result of Program Exposure: Findings From the Workplace POWERPLAY Program

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2016-0111 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 1364-1371 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Cristina M. Caperchione ◽

Sean Stolp ◽

Joan L. Bottorff ◽

John L. Oliffe ◽

Steven T. Johnson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Workplace Health Promotion ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Exposure Group ◽

Workplace Health ◽

High Exposure ◽

And Behaviors ◽

Health Eating

Background:The purpose of this study was to examine changes in physical activity and healthy eating knowledge and behaviors associated with the level of exposure to POWERPLAY, a men-centered workplace health promotion program.Methods:This study is based on a quasi-experimental prepost design. Using a computer assisted telephone interview survey, data regarding program exposure and physical activity and health eating knowledge and behaviors were collected from men (N = 103) in 4 workplaces.Results:Exposure scores were calculated and participants were categorized as having low (n = 54) or high exposure (n = 49) to POWERPLAY. Compared with the low exposure group, those reporting high exposure scored significantly higher on physical activity knowledge (F (1, 99) =14.17, P < .001, eta2 = .125) and health eating knowledge (F (1, 99) =14.37, P = .001, eta2 = .111). The high exposure group also reported significantly more minutes walked place to place (F (2, 206) = 3.91, P = .022, eta2 = .037) and on minutes walked for leisure (F (2, 230) = 3.08, P = .048, eta2 = .026).Conclusions:POWERPLAY shows significant promise as a workplace health promotion approach and may have an even greater impact when program exposure is augmented with environmental and policy changes.

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Determining who responds better to a computer- vs. human-delivered physical activity intervention: results from the community health advice by telephone (CHAT) trial

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity ◽

10.1186/1479-5868-10-109 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 109 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Eric B Hekler ◽

Matthew P Buman ◽

Jennifer Otten ◽

Cynthia M Castro ◽

Lauren Grieco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Community Health ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Health Advice

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A Pilot School-Based Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Intervention Improves Diet, Food Knowledge, and Self-Efficacy for Native Canadian Children

Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.1093/jn/135.10.2392 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 135 (10) ◽

pp. 2392-2398 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

Brit I. Saksvig ◽

Joel Gittelsohn ◽

Stewart B. Harris ◽

Anthony J. G. Hanley ◽

Tom W. Valente ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Native Canadian ◽

School Based ◽

Food Knowledge ◽

Pilot School

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Child Obesity Prevention Intervention in Kuwaiti Summer Camps Targeting Health Behaviors in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Screen Time

Journal of Health Science and Medical Research ◽

10.31584/jhsmr.2020765 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ghanima Alfaleh ◽

Fatma G. Huffman ◽

Tan Li ◽

Joan A. Vaccaro

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Screen Time ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Intervention Group ◽

T Test ◽

Summer Camps ◽

P Value ◽

Healthy Habits

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an eight-week nutrition and physical activity intervention, entitled: “My Healthy Habits”, at summer camps to prevent obesity, reduce screen time, promote healthy eating habits and physical activity among children. Material and Methods: Eight-week pretest-posttest: intervention versus a comparison group was conducted, in two comparable summer camps in Kuwait and randomized at the site level. Convenient sampling (n=79) included children aged 6-10, receiving 8 weeks of nutrition education: 2 days/week, 40 minutes/day and physical activity sessions: 4 days/week for 20 minutes/day. Outcomes included: the Modified Healthy Habits Survey (items about diet, physical activity and sedentary behavior) and anthropomorphic: Body mass index (BMI) for age and gender percentile and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Group changes were measured by independent t-test, and within group changes by the McNemar’s test (categorical data) and paired t-test (interval data). Results: Significant increases in nutrition knowledge scores (from 4.3±1.7 to 10.5±1.2) and in the total score of the major food groups (from 10.0±2.6 to 13.7±2.2) were observed from pretest to posttest. Healthy eating significantly increased (from 12.8±1.8 to 14.5±1.5) for the intervention group only; however, intake of French fries, chips (FF) and sugarsweetened beverages (SSB) remained the same for both groups. Physical activity increased and screen time decreased,only in the intervention group. The participants’ BMI and WHtR decreased significantly in the intervention group: p-value=0.001. Conclusion: Healthy food and physical activity increased, while screen time decreased. Consumption of unhealthy food (FF and SSB) remains an issue.

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Healthy Immigrant Families: Randomized Controlled Trial of a Family-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/0890117117733342 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 473-484 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Mark L. Wieland ◽

Marcelo M. M. Hanza ◽

Jennifer A. Weis ◽

Sonja J. Meiers ◽

Christi A. Patten ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Immigrant Families ◽

Healthy Eating Index ◽

Dietary Quality ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Phone Calls

Purpose: To evaluate a healthy eating and physical activity intervention for immigrant families, derived through community-based participatory research. Design: The Healthy Immigrant Families study was a randomized controlled trial with delayed intervention control group, with families as the randomization unit. Setting: US Midwest city. Participants: Participants were recruited by community partners from Hispanic, Somali, and Sudanese immigrant communities. Intervention: Family health promoters from participating communities delivered 6 healthy eating modules, 4 physical activity modules, and 2 modules synthesizing information in 12 home visits (60-90 minutes) within the first 6 months. Up to 12 follow-up phone calls to each participant occurred within the second 6 months. Measures: Primary measures were dietary quality measured with weekday 24-hour recall and reported as Healthy Eating Index score (0-100) and physical activity measured with accelerometers (14 wear days) at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months. Results: In total, 151 persons (81 adolescents and 70 adults; 44 families) were randomly assigned. At 12 months, significant improvement occurred in Healthy Eating Index scores for adults in the intervention group compared with controls (change, +8.6 vs −4.4; P < .01) and persisted at 24 months (+7.4 from baseline; P < .01). No differences were observed for adolescents and no significant differences occurred between groups for physical activity. Conclusion: This intervention produced sustained dietary quality improvement among adults but not among adolescents. Program outcomes are relevant to communities working to decrease cardiovascular risk among immigrant populations.

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