title: A gender-based approach to developing a healthy lifestyle and healthy weight intervention for diverse Utah women.
abstract: Utah women from some cultural minority groups have higher overweight/obesity rates than the overall population. We utilized a gender-based mixed methods approach to learn about the underlying social, cultural and gender issues that contribute to the increased obesity risk among these women and to inform intervention development. A literature review and analysis of Utah's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data informed the development of a focus group guide. Focus groups were conducted with five groups of women: African immigrants from Burundi and Rwanda, African Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Hispanics/Latinas, and Pacific Islanders. Six common themes emerged: (1) health is multidimensional and interventions must address health in this manner; (2) limited resources and time influence health behaviors; (3) norms about healthy weight vary, with certain communities showing more preference to heavier women; (4) women and men have important but different influences on healthy lifestyle practices within households; (5) women have an influential role on the health of families; and (6) opportunities exist within each group to improve health. Seeking insights from these five groups of women helped to identify common and distinct cultural and gender themes related to obesity, which can be used to help elucidate core obesity determinants.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84018, United States. Electronic address: Sara.Simonsen@utah.edu.
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Simonsen
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84018, United States. Electronic address: Kathleen.Digre@hsc.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Kathleen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Digre
authors.affiliation: Utah Department of Health, PO Box 142107, 288 North 1460 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2107, United States; Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States. Electronic address: bralls@utah.gov.
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ralls
authors.affiliation: Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States; Best of Africa, 6379 Thor Way, West Valley City, UT 84128, United States. Electronic address: vmukundente@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Valentine
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mukundente
authors.affiliation: Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States; Calvary Baptist Church, 1090 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, United States. Electronic address: pastor@calvaryslc.com.
authors.forename: France A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States; Hispanic Health Care Task Force, PO Box 58654, Salt Lake City, UT 84158, United States. Electronic address: sylviarickard@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rickard
authors.affiliation: Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States; National Tongan American Society, 3007 South West Temple, Building H, Salt Lake City, UT 84115, United States. Electronic address: fahina36@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Fahina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tavake-Pasi
authors.affiliation: Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States; Urban Indian Center, 120 West 1300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84115, United States. Electronic address: enapia@iwic.org.
authors.forename: Eru Ed
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Napia
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84018, United States; Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States. Electronic address: Heather.Aiono@utah.edu.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aiono
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84018, United States; Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States. Electronic address: mjchirpich@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Meghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chirpich
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84018, United States; Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States. Electronic address: Louisa.Stark@utah.edu.
authors.forename: Louisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.affiliation: Utah Department of Health, PO Box 142107, 288 North 1460 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2107, United States; Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States. Electronic address: grant.sunada@utah.edu.
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sunada
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84018, United States. Electronic address: kassy.keen@utah.edu.
authors.forename: Kassy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keen
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84018, United States. Electronic address: Leanne.Johnston@hsc.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.affiliation: University of Utah College of Social Work, 395 South 1500 East, Room 101, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States. Electronic address: Caren.Frost@socwk.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Caren J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84018, United States. Electronic address: Michael.Varner@hsc.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Varner
authors.affiliation: University of Utah School of Medicine, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84018, United States; Community Faces of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States. Electronic address: Steve.Alder@utah.edu.
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Alder
mesh_terms: D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D003469:Culture; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005783:Gender Identity; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008019:Life Style; D008913:Minority Groups; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014589:Utah; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Diet; Exercise; Gender analysis; Health behavior; Obesity; Physical activity