An interventional study of Physical Activity and Dietary Health Promotion Program in Obesity, sponsored by University of South Carolina. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-04-28.
Sponsored by University of South Carolina · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
Obese African Americans are at risk for diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Church-based interventions have the potential to positively influence the health habits and behaviors of a large percentage of African Americans. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a church-based program that emphasizes increased physical activity and healthy dietary habits among members of predominately African American churches in South Carolina.
Many obesity-related diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, occur more frequently in ethnic minorities than in Caucasians. African Americans have an extremely high church attendance rate, making church-based interventions a viable method to reach a wide audience and positively influence health habits and behaviors. The most effective way to prevent or reverse the effects of obesity is through weight loss, which can be accomplished by increasing physical activity and following a low fat and low sodium diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Few programs have been developed that have specifically examined the effects of a church-based physical activity and dietary intervention. This study will encourage church leaders to assist in the development of a health promotion program that will incorporate the church's social, cultural, and policy influences. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on increasing physical activity, improving blood pressure levels, and promoting healthy dietary habits among church members. The importance of pastor support and participation will be evaluated, and the results from this study may be used to develop additional church-based interventions across a larger geographic area.
In Year 1 of this 5-year study, representatives from the Palmetto Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and three state universities in South Carolina will participate in monthly planning sessions to develop the intervention. Local health committees and church pastors and cooks will be trained to implement the program. The 18-month intervention will occur in three waves; where at least 60 churches will be randomly assigned to participate in either the immediate intervention or delayed intervention. The program will emphasize increased physical activity and the adaptation of a healthy diet that includes low fat and low sodium foods, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. At baseline and Month 18, blood pressure will be measured, and physical activity levels and fruit and vegetable intake will be assessed for some church members. Additionally, throughout the study, some participants will wear an accelerometer, which is a small device that measures physical activity levels.
University of South Carolina is the lead sponsor of 191 studies on the registry; 41 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants will take part in the Physical Activity and Dietary Health Promotion Program.
Behavioral: Physical Activity and Dietary Health Promotion Program
Participants are assigned to a delayed intervention group and serve as a no-intervention control group.
Churches within the intervention group will receive a committee training and church cook training designed to teach them how to do a self-assessment of current practices and develop a plan for their program. The intervention is based on the structural model of health behavior and targets opportunities, mass media (within the church), guidelines and policies, and church environment. Intervention churches also receive monthly intervention mailings to support intervention implementation.
Blood pressure
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Time frame: 15 months
Physical activity (measured with the Community Healthy Activities Model Program For Seniors [CHAMPS] questionnaire)
Self-report measure of physical activity
Time frame: 15 months
Fruit and vegetable consumption (measured with NCI screener & 2-item measure)
self-report measure of physical activity
Time frame: 15 months
Physical activity (measured with an accelerometer)
Accelerometer measured physical activity
Time frame: 15 months
Fat consumption
Self-reported measure of practices associated with fat consumption
Time frame: 15 months
Fiber consumption
Self-reported measure of practices associated with fiberconsumption
Time frame: 15 months
This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2021. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of South Carolina