title: The Faith, Activity, and Nutrition program: a randomized controlled trial in African-American churches.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Faith-based interventions hold promise for promoting health in ethnic minority populations. To date, however, few of these interventions have used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, have targeted both physical activity and healthy eating, and have focused on structural changes in the church.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report the results of a group randomized CBPR intervention targeting physical activity and healthy eating in African-American churches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Group RCT. Data were collected from 2007 to 2011. Statistical analyses were conducted in 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four African Methodist Episcopal (AME) churches in South Carolina and 1257 members within them participated in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Churches were randomized to an immediate (intervention) or delayed (control) 15-month intervention that targeted organizational and environmental changes consistent with the structural ecologic model. A CBPR approach guided intervention development. Intervention churches attended a full-day committee training and a full-day cook training. They also received a stipend and 15 months of mailings and technical assistance calls to support intervention implementation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary outcomes were self-reported moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption, and measured blood pressure. Secondary outcomes were self-reported fat- and fiber-related behaviors. Measurements were taken at baseline and 15 months. Intent-to-treat repeated measures ANOVA tested group X time interactions, controlling for church clustering, wave, and size, and participant age, gender, and education. Post hoc ANCOVAs were conducted with measurement completers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant effect favoring the intervention group in self-reported leisure-time MVPA (d=0.18, p=0.02), but no effect for other outcomes. ANCOVA analyses showed an intervention effect for self-reported leisure-time MVPA (d=0.17, p=0.03) and self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption (d=0.17, p=0.03). Trainings were evaluated very positively (training evaluation item means of 4.2-4.8 on a 5-point scale).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This faith-based structural intervention using a CBPR framework showed small but significant increases in self-reported leisure-time MVPA. This program has potential for broad-based dissemination and reach.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00379925.
authors: Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, 29208, USA. swilcox@sc.edu
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Wilcox
authors: Allen
authors: A
authors: Parrott
authors: Meghan
authors: M
authors: Baruth
authors: Marilyn
authors: M
authors: Laken
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Condrasky
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Saunders
authors: Marsha
authors: M
authors: Dowda
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Evans
authors: Cheryl
authors: C
authors: Addy
authors: Tatiana Y
authors: TY
authors: Warren
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Kinnard
authors: Lakisha
authors: L
authors: Zimmerman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D033303:Protestantism; D013022:South Carolina