A Community-Driven Implementation of the Body and Soul Program in Churches in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, 2011-2014.
African Americans have high disease and death rates due to cancer and cardiovascular disease. Health promotion efforts to improve diet have the potential to reduce these rates.



Given their importance in the community and the extent of their reach, churches are effective avenues for health promotion efforts targeting African Americans. The objectives of this project were to promote healthy eating among African American church members, engage African American churches in the implementation of Body and Soul (an evidenced-based program that encourages healthy eating), and implement the program in the community with minimal resources.



From 2011 through 2014 we conducted a community engagement project to implement the 12-week Body and Soul program, which includes demonstrations of healthy recipes and peer counseling, in 20 churches. Participants (n = 310) completed baseline and follow-up surveys on their eating habits and experience with peer counseling. Church coordinators (n = 11) completed a survey evaluating the program.



Participants' weekly servings of fruit (baseline, 4.3; follow-up, 5.4; P < .001) and vegetables (baseline, 4.5; follow-up, 5.3; P < .001) increased. Church coordinators reported enthusiasm about Body and Soul at their church, and 10 of 11 church coordinators indicated that their pastor encouraged members to attend Body and Soul events. Program success was promoted by engaging the pastor in program activities and by scheduling events soon after church services. Implementation challenges were variation in peer counseling among churches and low turnout at follow-up events.



The project was successfully implemented in the 20 churches, and increases in healthy eating were observed. This project demonstrated that Body and Soul can be implemented in communities with little funds or other resources.
University of Minnesota Center for Health Equity, Minneapolis, Minnesota.|Minneapolis VA Health Care System Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research.
Erika Ashley
EA
Pinsker
University of Minnesota Center for Health Equity, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Andrew W
AW
Enzler
University of Minnesota Center for Health Equity, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Megan C
MC
Hoffman
University of Minnesota Center for Health Equity, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Kathleen Thiede
KT
Call
Stairstep Foundation, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Sylvia
S
Amos
Stairstep Foundation, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Alfred
A
Babington-Johnson
University of Minnesota Center for Health Equity, Minneapolis, Minnesota.|University of Minnesota Program in Health Disparities Research, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Kolawole Stephen
KS
Okuyemi
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002977:Clergy; D003376:Counseling; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D014675:Vegetables