A Closer Look: Examining Cultural-Contextual Influences on Weight Management Through Focus Groups With Church-Going African American Women.

Chronic diseases continue to rise among African American women making lifestyle programs a critical aspect of risk reduction and disease prevention. Weight management programs often have a reduced impact among African American women compared to White women, in part due to interactions between individual, social, and environmental factors. A secondary analysis of focus group data evaluated how cultural elements and contextual factors identified by church-going African American women influence intervention design, approaches for cultural adaptation, and solutions to weight management.

Community health worker navigation to improve allostatic load: The Integrated Population Health (IPOP) study.

Background: Social determinants of health (SDOH) and cumulative stress contribute to chronic disease development. The physiological response to repeated stressors typical of lower-income environments can be measured through allostatic load - a composite measure of cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune variables. Healthcare systems have employed patient navigation for social and medical needs to improve SDOH that has demonstrated limited impact on chronic disease outcomes.

What's theory got to do with it: measuring effects of theory on lifestyle behaviors and weight in the Better Me Within Randomized Trial.

Background: Knowing which theoretical constructs work best to design effective interventions is essential for populations with increased disease burden. African American women (AAW) experience greater prevalence of chronic diseases and fewer benefits from weight loss interventions compared to White women.

Purpose: To examine how theoretical constructs were associated with lifestyle behaviors and weight outcomes in the Better Me Within (BMW) Randomized Trial.

Better Me Within Randomized Trial: Faith-Based Diabetes Prevention Program for Weight Loss in African American Women.

Purpose: Previous DPP translations in African American women have been suboptimal. This trial evaluated a community-based participatory research developed faith-based diabetes prevention program (DPP) to improve weight loss in African American women.

Design: This cluster randomized trial allocated churches to faith-based (FDPP) or standard (SDPP) DPP interventions.

Reducing metabolic syndrome through a community-based lifestyle intervention in African American women.

Background And Aims: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Despite a higher prevalence of MetS in African American (AA) women, little is known about the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in improving metabolic markers in this high-risk group. This study investigated the effectiveness of a community-based lifestyle intervention delivered by lay health coaches in reducing MetS among AA women.

Longitudinal Changes in Allostatic Load during a Randomized Church-based, Lifestyle Intervention in African American Women.

Introduction: African American (AA) women have disproportionately higher risk of cardiovascular disease than White women, which may be explained by the uniquely higher allostatic load (AL) found in AA women. No studies have tested the effect of lifestyle interventions on AL in AA women. Our objectives were to assess the change in allostatic load following a lifestyle intervention and explore the roles of lifestyle behaviors and socioeconomic factors on allostatic load change.

Partnership Processes to Develop SHE Tribe: A Healthy Lifestyle Intervention.

Chronic diseases, like diabetes and heart disease, disproportionately impact women of color as compared to White women. Community-engaged and participatory approaches are proposed as a means to address chronic disease health disparities in minority communities, as they allow for tailoring and customization of strategies that align with community needs, interests, and priorities. While community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a framework that offers a clear set of principles to guide intervention design and development, the complexity and diversity of community contexts make it challenging to anticipate all of the possible pathways to implementation.

Neighborhood Disadvantage and Allostatic Load in African American Women at Risk for Obesity-Related Diseases.

Introduction: African American women have higher rates of obesity and related chronic disease than other demographic groups. The poorer health of African American women compared with other groups may be explained by allostatic load, or cumulative physiologic stress, due to chronic socioeconomic disadvantage. The objective of this study was to evaluate neighborhood and individual factors contributing to allostatic load in African American women at risk for obesity-related diseases.

Community-based participatory research to design a faith-enhanced diabetes prevention program: The Better Me Within randomized trial.

Reducing obesity positively impacts diabetes and cardiovascular risk; however, evidence-based lifestyle programs, such as the diabetes prevention program (DPP), show reduced effectiveness in African American (AA) women. In addition to an attenuated response to lifestyle programs, AA women also demonstrate high rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. To address these disparities, enhancements to evidence-based lifestyle programs for AA women need to be developed and evaluated with culturally relevant and rigorous study designs.

Beyond Body Mass Index: Are Weight-loss Programs the Best Way to Improve the Health of African American Women?

African American women have higher prevalence (82%) of overweight (body mass index [BMI] 25-29) and obesity (BMI ≥30) than white women (63.2%) or Hispanic women (77.2%), and weight-loss programs yield minimal results in this population.

From Voice to Choice: African American Youth Examine Childhood Obesity in Rural North Carolina.

Background: Childhood obesity continues to be a prominent health concern in the United States. Certain demographics of youth have a higher prevalence of obesity, including those living in rural settings, and African American females. Multiple determinants contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic, yet few studies have partnered with youth to investigate community-level determinants and solutions.