title: The FAITH Trial: Baseline Characteristics of a Church-based Trial to Improve Blood Pressure Control in Blacks.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the baseline characteristics of participants in the Faith-based Approaches in the Treatment of Hypertension (FAITH) Trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  FAITH evaluates the effectiveness of a faith-based lifestyle intervention vs health education control on blood pressure (BP) reduction among hypertensive Black adults.
  Participants included 373 members of 32 Black churches in New York City. Baseline data collected included participant demographic characteristics, clinical measures (eg, blood pressure), behaviors (eg, diet, physical activity), and psychosocial factors (eg, self-efficacy, depressive symptoms).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants had a mean age of 63.4 ± 11.9 years and 76% were female. About half completed at least some college (53%), 66% had an income ≥$20,000, and 42.2% were retired or on disability. Participants had a mean systolic and diastolic BP of 152.1 ± 16.8 mm Hg and 86.2 ± 12.2 mm Hg, respectively, and a mean BMI of 32 kg/m2. Hypertension (HTN) medications were taken by 95% of participants, but most (79.1%) reported non-adherence to their regimen. Participants reported consuming 3.4 ± 2.6 servings of fruits and vegetables and received 30.9% of their energy from fat. About one-third (35.9%) reported a low activity level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants in the FAITH trial exhibited several adverse clinical and behavioral characteristics at baseline. Future analyses will evaluate the effectiveness of the faith-based lifestyle intervention on changes in BP and lifestyle behaviors among hypertensive Black adults.
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Antoinette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schoenthaler
authors.affiliation: 2. Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, New York University.
authors.forename: Kristie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lancaster
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Midberry
authors.affiliation: 2. Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, New York University.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nulty
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ige
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Psychology, Saint John's University.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palfrey
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Psychology, Saint John's University.
authors.forename: Niketa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Gbenga
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ogedegbe
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D012067:Religion
keywords: African Americans; Faith-based; Hypertension; Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes