Associations Between Sociodemographic Variables, Social Determinants of Health, and Diabetes: Findings From a Congregational Health Needs Assessment.

Purpose: To examine associations between sociodemographic variables, social determinants of health (SDOHs) and diabetes using health needs assessment data.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Faith-based communities in the Mid-South U.

A Scoping Review of Self-Care Within the Context of Obesity-Related Outcomes Among Faith Leaders.

Objective: Faith leaders often serve as health-related role models yet many struggle with obesity and self-care engagement. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine how the faith leader literature has defined self-care and examined obesity and obesity-related chronic disease.

Data Source: Studies were identified through database (eg, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO), backward, and grey literature (eg, dissertations) searches.

Fit with Faith: An Exploratory Study Examining a Behavior Change Intervention for African-American Clergy and Their Spouses.

Fit with Faith is a 10-week, diet, physical activity, and stress reduction intervention for African-American clergy and spouses, which included: meetings, phone calls, a behavior tracking app. Survey, 24-h recall, accelerometer, anthropometric, and blood pressure data were collected. Wilcoxon signed ranked tests were used for analyses.

Perceptions of mindfulness practices as a support for individuals managing caregiving responsibilities and chronic disease: A qualitative study.

Objectives: Explore the lived experience of individuals managing and/or caregiving for someone with a chronic disease and their perceptions of developing a mindfulness program for stress reduction.

Methods: Sixteen participants with chronic disease and/or caregivers participated. Participants completed eligibility screening, demographic questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews (30-60 min each) online or by phone.

Perceived Health Needs of Church Leaders and Members: A Secondary Data Analysis of the Mid-South Congregational Health Survey.

Needs assessments have been successful in helping communities and congregations focus their health ministry efforts; however, most have used leader perceptions of congregational health needs. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the self-reported needs of both church leaders and members to be addressed by their congregation. Church leaders ( = 369) and members ( = 459) from 92 congregations completed the 2019 Mid-South Congregational Health Survey.

An Examination of Culturally Relevant Health Messages in African-American Churches.

This quantitative study examined the presence of culturally relevant health messages for African-Americans based on a preexisting dataset from 21 African-American churches in South Carolina (USA). Content analysis served as the primary methodological approach to code printed media messages based on their cultural relevance among African-Americans (Cohen's kappa = .74).

Congregational health needs by key demographic variables: Findings from a congregational health needs assessment tool.

Health needs assessments identify important issues to be addressed and assist organizations in prioritizing resources. Using data from the Mid-South Congregational Health Survey, top health needs (physical, mental, social determinants of health) were identified, and differences in needs by key demographic variables (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education) were examined. Church leaders and members (N = 828) from 92 churches reported anxiety/depression (65 %), hypertension/stroke (65 %), stress (62 %), affordable healthcare (60 %), and overweight/obesity (58 %) as the top health needs in their congregations.

Examination of Associations between Physical Activity and Eating Identities among College-aged Adults Living in Hawai'i.

While physical activity and diet behaviors are correlated, mechanisms underlying associations have rarely been examined. This study examined associations between physical activity identity and eating identity among college-aged adults in Hawai'i to provide guidance for future multiple behavior change interventions. This study was a cross-sectional analysis of data collected between September 2013 and January 2014.

Variations in Dietary Patterns Defined by the Healthy Eating Index 2015 and Associations with Mortality: Findings from the Dietary Patterns Methods Project.

Background: It is currently unknown if within high-quality dietary intake there exist distinct dietary patterns associated with health benefits that are identifiable with multidimensional dietary pattern analyses. The purpose of this study was to identify specific dietary patterns and groups therein and their associations with all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality.

Methods: We conducted sex-specific k-means cluster analyses within Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015) quintile 5 in 3 US cohorts [NIH-American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study (AARP), the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC), Women's Health Initiative Observational Study (WHI OS)], clusters ranging from n = 1190 to n = 12,007.

Developing a Congregational Health Needs Assessment: Lessons Learned from Using a Participatory Research Approach.

Background: Health needs assessments help congregations identify issues of importance to them and the communities they serve. Few tools exist, with little known about the processes needed to develop such tools.

Objective: Develop a congregational health needs assessment tool and implementation protocol with community, health-care, and academic partners.

Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors by Key Demographic Variables Among Mid-South Church Leaders from 2012 to 2017.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors were examined among church leaders (n = 2309) who attended Mid-South United Methodist Church annual meetings between 2012 and 2017 using repeated cross-sectional data. There was a significant increase in body mass index (BMI) (b = 0.24, p = 0.

Strategies for Designing Clergy and Spouse Obesity-Related Programs.

Purpose: Clergy have influence on the health of congregations and communities yet struggle with health behaviors. Interventions tailored to their occupation-specific demands and unique needs may provide a solution. Qualitative methods were used to identify opportunities and resources for the development of an effective obesity-related program for clergy.

The joint association of cardiometabolic health and weight on mortality in the multiethnic cohort.

While cardiometabolic abnormalities are associated with elevated risk of morbidity, they may not occur in all individuals with obesity. Less is known about associations with mortality, especially cancer mortality. This study examined associations between cardiometabolic-weight categories and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and all causes.

Filling the Gaps: The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Addressing the Health Needs of Today's Latino Communities.

Research on the acceptability of faith-based health promotion programs by Latino communities in the Bible Belt is limited. This study examined the needs, barriers, and facilitators related to such programs in Memphis, TN. Thirty Latino community members and ten faith leaders participated in focus groups and in-depth interviews, respectively.

The Dietary Inflammatory Index and All-Cause, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer Mortality in the Multiethnic Cohort Study.

Diet quality based on inflammatory potential, assessed by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), has been related to mortality, but studies from racially/ethnically diverse populations are scarce. Using data from the Multiethnic Cohort Study in Hawaii and California, we investigated the association of the DII with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer mortality, both overall and by race/ethnicity. The analysis included 150,405 African Americans, Native Hawaiians, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and Whites aged 45⁻75 years, with 47,436 deaths during an average follow-up of 18.

Testing the Predictive Validity of the Healthy Eating Index-2015 in the Multiethnic Cohort: Is the Score Associated with a Reduced Risk of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality?

The Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) was created to assess conformance of dietary intake with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) 2015-2020. We assessed the association between the HEI-2015 and mortality from all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC). White, African American, Native Hawaiian, Japanese American, and Latino adults ( > 215,000) from Hawaii and California completed a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire at study enrollment.

Leading God's People: Perceptions of Influence Among African-American Pastors.

Religious leaders, particularly African-American pastors, are believed to play a key role in addressing health disparities. Despite the role African-American pastors may play in improving health, there is limited research on pastoral influence. The purpose of this study was to examine African-American pastors' perceptions of their influence in their churches and communities.

Predictors of Retention among African Americans in a Randomized Controlled Trial to Test the Healthy Eating and Active Living in the Spirit (HEALS) Intervention.

Introduction: Retention of racial/ethnic minority groups into research trials is necessary to fully understand and address health disparities. This study was conducted to identify participants' characteristics associated with retention of African Americans (AAs) in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a behavioral intervention.

Methods: Using data from an RCT conducted from 2009 to 2012 among AAs, participant-level factors were examined for associations with retention between three measurement points (ie, baseline, 3-month, and 12-month).

Diet and Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for College Students.

Objectives: To understand perceived barriers of a diverse sample of college students and their suggestions for interventions aimed at healthy eating, cooking, and physical activity.

Methods: Forty students (33% Asian American, 30% mixed ethnicity) were recruited. Six focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded.

The Dietary Inflammatory Index Is Associated with Colorectal Cancer Risk in the Multiethnic Cohort.

Diet is known to influence systemic inflammation, a recognized risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). Studies in ethnically diverse populations that examine the association between dietary inflammatory potential and CRC incidence are limited. We used the Dietary Inflammatory Index to clarify the relation between the inflammatory potential of diet and CRC incidence across racial/ethnic groups.

Rethinking physical activity for children: implications for the working poor.

Beauchamp, Rhodes, and Nigg propose a tripartite framework necessary for increasing physical activity among elementary-aged children. This framework includes legislation to increase time spent in physical activity during the school day, an extension of the school day for physical activity, and supervision of this time by trained teachers. If implemented, this framework could significantly increase the amount of time elementary-aged children spend in physical activity.

The influence of energy standardisation on the alternate Mediterranean diet score and its association with mortality in the Multiethnic Cohort.

The alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED) score is an adaptation of the original Mediterranean diet score. Raw (aMED) and energy-standardised (aMED-e) versions have been used. How the diet scores and their association with health outcomes differ between the two versions is unclear.

Among 4 Diet Quality Indexes, Only the Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score Is Associated with Better Colorectal Cancer Survival and Only in African American Women in the Multiethnic Cohort.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, with a 5-y survival rate of ∼65%. Therefore, the identification of modifiable health factors to improve CRC survival is crucial.

Objective: We investigated the association of 4 prediagnostic a priori diet quality indexes with CRC-specific and all-cause mortality in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC).

Perceived influence and college students' diet and physical activity behaviors: an examination of ego-centric social networks.

Background: Obesity is partially a social phenomenon, with college students particularly vulnerable to changes in social networks and obesity-related behaviors. Currently, little is known about the structure of social networks among college students and their potential influence on diet and physical activity behaviors. The purpose of the study was to examine social influences impacting college students' diet and physical activity behaviors, including sources of influence, comparisons between sources' and students' behaviors, and associations with meeting diet and physical activity recommendations.

Excess body weight and colorectal cancer survival: the multiethnic cohort.

Purpose: Excess body weight is a risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) and may also adversely affect survival in CRC patients.

Methods: This study examined the relation of body mass index (BMI), which was self-reported at cohort entry and after 5.7 ± 0.