Perceptions of Food Intake, Physical Activity, and Obesity Among African-American Children in the Lower Mississippi Delta.

Purpose: To explore the nutrition and physical activity perceptions of children for planning a healthy weight curriculum to address childhood obesity in African-American children living in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD).

Design: Six children's focus group sessions.

Setting: Two Louisiana parishes in the LMD.

Food shopping perceptions, behaviors, and ability to purchase healthful food items in the lower Mississippi delta.

Objective: To examine the agreement between perceptions, behaviors, and ability to purchase healthful food in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD).

Design: A regional food store survey of healthful food options in supermarkets, small/medium stores, and convenience stores. Focus group discussions were conducted on shopping perceptions and behaviors.

Documenting the need for nutrition and health intervention for middle-aged and older adults in the Lower Mississippi Delta region.

Multiple demographic, health, and environmental factors may influence the overall quality of diets among rural middle-aged and older adults. This project compared the diet quality of participants in Foods of Our Delta Survey (FOODS 2000) who were aged 55 years and older with national data. The data were assessed using 24-hour dietary recall methodology and a modified version of the United States Department of Agriculture Healthy Eating Index (HEI) that excluded the sodium component.

Perceptions of factors influencing healthful food consumption behavior in the Lower Mississippi Delta: focus group findings.

Objective: To identify perceptions of Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) residents regarding factors that influence a change in healthful food consumption behavior to assist in planning sustainable nutrition interventions in the LMD.

Design: Nine focus groups were conducted with LMD residents in 9 counties in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. One focus group was held in each county on the topical area of behavioral change.