title: Mediating effects of group cohesion on physical activity and diet in women of color: health is power.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects and mediating factors of a physical activity (PA) or vegetable and fruit (VF) group cohesion intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Harris County and Travis County, Texas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling African-American and Hispanic or Latina women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred ten women were randomized to a PA (n  =  204) or VF (n  =  106) intervention group. Women met in groups six times over the course of 6 months and were exposed to a group cohesion intervention to promote walking or to increase VF consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women completed the International PA Questionnaire, National Cancer Institute VF and fat screeners, PA Group Environment Questionnaire, and 7-day accelerometer protocol at baseline and post-intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  The direct and mediated effects of the intervention on outcomes were evaluated using a mediational chain model, controlling for baseline values and covariates using path analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women were middle aged (mean  =  44.4 years) and overweight or obese (mean body mass index  =  34.0 kg/m(2)). PA increased and fat consumption decreased for both groups, whereas VF consumption increased for women in VF group only (all p < .05). Increased task cohesion led to hypothesized increases in psychosocial factors in the PA group but not to behavioral changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Group cohesion interventions may have psychological and physical health benefits for African-American and Hispanic or Latina women, but refinement of measures and intervention delivery is needed to determine whether hypothesized mediational pathways are valid.
authors.affiliation: Texas Obesity Research Center, Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-6015, USA. releephd@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Renae
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smith-Ray
authors.forename: Scherezade K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mama
authors.forename: Ashley V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.forename: Jacqueline Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Reese-Smith
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Banda
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Layne
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brosnan
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cubbin
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McMillan
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Estabrooks
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006126:Group Processes; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013781:Texas; D014675:Vegetables