title: A community-based, culturally relevant intervention to promote healthy eating and physical activity among middle-aged African American women in rural Alabama: findings from a group randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the efficacy of a community-based, culturally relevant intervention to promote healthy eating and physical activity among African American (AA) women between the ages of 45-65 years, residing in rural Alabama.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a group randomized controlled trial with counties as the unit of randomization that evaluated two interventions based on health priorities identified by the community: (1) promotion of healthy eating and physical activity; and (2) promotion of breast and cervical cancer screening. A total of 6 counties with 565 participants were enrolled in the study between November 2009 and October 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall retention rate at 24-month follow-up was 54.7%. Higher retention rate was observed in the "healthy lifestyle" arm (63.1%) as compared to the "screening" arm (45.3%). Participants in the "healthy lifestyle" arm showed significant positive changes compared to the "screening" arm at 12-month follow-up with regard to decrease in fried food consumption and an increase in both fruit/vegetable intake and physical activity. At 24-month follow-up, these positive changes were maintained with healthy eating behaviors, but not engagement in physical activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A culturally relevant intervention, developed in collaboration with the target audience, can improve (and maintain) healthy eating among AA women living in rural areas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1717 11th Avenue South, MT 609, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA. Electronic address: scarinci@uab.edu.
authors.forename: Isabel C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Scarinci
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1717 11th Avenue South, MT 609, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA.
authors.forename: Artisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1717 11th Avenue South, MT 609, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wynn-Wallace
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1717 11th Avenue South, MT 609, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cherrington
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1717 11th Avenue South, MT 609, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA.
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fouad
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1717 11th Avenue South, MT 609, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA.
authors.forename: Yufeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000407:Alabama; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003469:Culture; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population
keywords: African American; Behavior change; Healthy lifestyle; Rural; Women