Objective: To evaluate whether the evidence-based "Body & Soul" program, when disseminated and implemented without researcher or agency involvement and support, would achieve results similar to those of earlier efficacy and effectiveness trials. Design: Prospective group randomized trial. Setting: Churches with predominantly African American…

More than 60% of cancer-related deaths in the United States are attributable to tobacco use, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity, and these risk factors tend to cluster together. Thus, strategies for cancer risk reduction would benefit from addressing multiple health risk behaviors. We adapted an evidence-based intervention grounded in social…

This study tested the effects of two theory-based interventions to increase fruit and vegetable intake. Hypothesized intervention mediators included self-efficacy (SE), social support (SS), autonomous motivation (AM), and controlled motivation (CM). At baseline, 1,021 African American adults were recruited from 16 churches randomized to one…

Two studies examined how availability and accessibility of fruits and vegetables (F&V) affected elementary students' F&V consumption. Surveys of parents and children, food consumption records, and examination of foods served at several schools indicated that children's F&V consumption was related to home and school availability and…

Body & Soul has demonstrated effectiveness as a dietary intervention among African American church members. The process evaluation assessed relationships between program exposure and implementation factors and study outcomes and characterized factors important for adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Data sources included participant surveys…

A longitudinal cohort of 1,209 elementary students who had high exposure to the Know Your Body program had significantly lower cholesterol and blood pressure. A posttest-only cohort (n=3,066) with high exposure also had lower intake of meat and desserts and higher health knowledge and intake of healthy foods. (SK)

Reports the development of two nutrition behavior scales (for grades 2-3 and grades 4-6) given to 3,107 students from 129 schools nationwide. Results indicated significant nutrition knowledge gaps among students and identified several groups with excess knowledge gaps. The instrument appeared appropriate for most of the U.S. population. (SM)

A school-based cholesterol-reduction intervention for primary grade students in New York City public schools offered a workshop to teach those with high total serum cholesterol values to identify negative health consequences of high-fat diets. Results indicate that school-site cholesterol reduction interventions for high-risk individuals are…

Evaluated an intervention, conducted through black churches, to increase fruit and vegetable intake. Churches received either standard intervention; culturally sensitive, multicomponent self-help with one telephone cue call; or culturally sensitive multicomponent self-help with one cue call and three counseling calls (with motivational…

Assessed the impact of school organizational characteristics on outcomes of a teacher health behavior change program. Organizational, dietary, and psychologic data from intervention and control schools indicated that teachers at intervention schools with high organizational climate, organizational health, and job satisfaction reported better…