Progress 09/15/08 to 09/14/13
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): The mission of the Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit is to conduct nutrition research to prevent obesity in at-risk, rural populations in the Lower Mississippi Delta of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is coordinating a major research endeavor that brings together the talents of ARS and other research cooperators in a tri-state region to accomplish the following: 1) Identify barriers and facilitators to adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DG) and examine how differential profiles of adherence relate to obesity in children and adults of the Delta region (ARS HEALTH study); 2) extend the behavioral knowledge gained from ARS research studies and other food availability and food cost surveys in the Delta, to adapt existing DG eating patterns, such as the USDA Food Guide (MyPyramid) and the DASH Eating Plan, for the Lower Mississippi Delta population. Test the developed eating patterns for nutritional adequacy and feasibility of adoption by the Delta population. Concurrently, adapt DG physical activity recommendations for the Delta population and examine feasibility of adoption; 3) evaluate the effectiveness of the adapted DG eating patterns, with and without physical activity, in reducing weight gain and risk factors for obesity-related chronic disease in the Lower Mississippi Delta population through the use of interventional studies. Determine if diet-gene relationships underlie the effectiveness of the adapted eating patterns. Approach (from AD-416): The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit, in partnership with other ARS laboratories and research cooperators, has developed a strategic plan to improve the health of at-risk, rural populations of the Lower Mississippi Delta through obesity prevention research. Utilizing multi-faceted research approaches, this endeavor will provide a greater understanding of this population�s adherence to national dietary guidance for prevention of obesity and reduced risk for obesity-related chronic disease through the use of dietary and physical activity interventions using established scientific study designs and methods meeting the requirements for evidence based reviews. This cooperative research seeks solutions to these complex challenges through multidisciplinary team research and through cooperation with the general public, local government, policy makers, other institutions and agencies. Research internships addressing the objectives above may be created for university students in the tri-state area. This year, Alcorn State University analysis of the 21-day menus was fully completed; nutrition education materials/resources aligned with the revised project focus were secured; recruitment of project participants (caregivers of children attending Head Start Centers in Southwest Mississippi), started in the fall of 2012, was completed. Additional participants were recruited from Head Start Centers in Centreville, MS (Centreville Head Start Center); Gloster, MS (Gloster Head Start Center); Liberty, MS (Liberty, Head Start Center); Natchez, MS (Thompson Head Start Center); Vicksburg, MS (Kings Head Start Center); and Woodville (Woodville Head Start Center). Pre-intervention data collection was completed. The project interventions were completed, including two experimental groups and a control group. One group was provided nutrition education only; one group was provided nutrition education with social support; and the third group was treated as the control group. No nutrition education or social support was provided for the third group. Post-intervention data collection is in progress. In addition, training on assisting participants in completing the Food Frequency Questionnaire and other project conduct protocols were provided for new staff and students who worked on the project. Over the life of the project, the Delta Obesity Prevention Research at Alcorn State University (ASU), consisted of two distinct sample components. The focus was on investigating the effectiveness of specific strategies in helping two separate and distinct random samples of rural, limited-resource African- American mothers and school-aged children adopt or adapt their eating patterns to Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005 (DG) (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture 2005). A pre-test and post-test design, with two experimental groups and a control group, was to be used with the mothers to determine the effectiveness of combining nutrition education with social support and the effects of nutrition education classes and physical activities on middle-school children to help make dietary changes, exhibited by eating more fruits and vegetables. Due to the request of the National Program Staff, the targeted audiences of the project at ASU were redirected in 2012, to focus on one distinct random sample. Currently, ASU's Project, Caregivers Helping Empower Families (CHEF), proposes to investigate the effectiveness of specific strategies in helping a separate and distinct random sample of rural, limited-resource caregivers adopt or adapt their eating patterns to the DG in relation to fruit and vegetable intake. The targeted audience includes caregivers of Head Start children, participating in Mississippi Head Start Programs. Researchers used a pre- test and post-test design, with two experimental groups and a control group, to determine the effectiveness of nutrition education alone or nutrition education combined with social support to help caregivers make dietary changes, exhibited by eating more fruits and vegetables. Due to the new focus of the project at ASU in 2012, time was devoted to getting IRB approval, and many of the tasks completed under the original focus had to be repeated in alignment with the requirements of the new focus. This included recruitment of the targeted audience for the new focus and performance of other related program development activities.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): The mission of the Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit is to conduct nutrition research to prevent obesity in at-risk, rural populations in the Lower Mississippi Delta of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is coordinating a major research endeavor that brings together the talents of ARS and other research cooperators in a tri-state region to accomplish the following: 1) Identify barriers and facilitators to adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DG) and examine how differential profiles of adherence relate to obesity in children and adults of the Delta region (ARS HEALTH study); 2) extend the behavioral knowledge gained from ARS research studies and other food availability and food cost surveys in the Delta, to adapt existing DG eating patterns, such as the USDA Food Guide (MyPyramid) and the DASH Eating Plan, for the Lower Mississippi Delta population. Test the developed eating patterns for nutritional adequacy and feasibility of adoption by the Delta population. Concurrently, adapt DG physical activity recommendations for the Delta population and examine feasibility of adoption; 3) evaluate the effectiveness of the adapted DG eating patterns, with and without physical activity, in reducing weight gain and risk factors for obesity-related chronic disease in the Lower Mississippi Delta population through the use of interventional studies. Determine if diet-gene relationships underlie the effectiveness of the adapted eating patterns. Approach (from AD-416): The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit, in partnership with other ARS laboratories and research cooperators, has developed a strategic plan to improve the health of at-risk, rural populations of the Lower Mississippi Delta through obesity prevention research. Utilizing multi-faceted research approaches, this endeavor will provide a greater understanding of this population�s adherence to national dietary guidance for prevention of obesity and reduced risk for obesity-related chronic disease through the use of dietary and physical activity interventions using established scientific study designs and methods meeting the requirements for evidence based reviews. This cooperative research seeks solutions to these complex challenges through multidisciplinary team research and through cooperation with the general public, local government, policy makers, other institutions and agencies. Research internships addressing the objectives above may be created for university students in the tri-state area. This year Alcorn State University's Delta Obesity Prevention Research project was actively involved in meeting the established 36-month milestone goals. At the beginning of the year the recruitment efforts were ongoing for African American mothers in Southwest Mississippi. However, due to difficulty in recruiting targeted audiences from counties saturated in research projects targeting the same audiences, the project was revised, as suggested by the previous Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit Executive Director. In addition, there were concerns regarding contamination of the research. Project revision has been completed, establishing one overall project, targeting caregivers of children enrolled in Head Start Centers in Southwest Mississippi. A branding of the project was completed as described in the project summary. Approval for the revised project was secured from the IRB at Alcorn State University and Delta OPRU Administration. We established an agreement between Alcorn State University and the Head Start Agencies governing Head Start Centers in Southwest Mississippi, the Mississippi Action for Progress (MAP) and (AJFC), to conduct research activities for the full intervention, which will involve multiple Mississippi counties including Claiborne, Franklin, Warren, Lincoln, Adams, Jefferson, Wilkinson, and Amite. We have made contact with AJFC and MAP, including attending their board meetings, to foster relationships and to gain entrance into the Head Start Centers for research. A curriculum created by Cornell University Extension Program in combination with the Mississippi State University Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Curriculum has been selected and modified as the nutrition education medium for the nutrition education portion of the research intervention. It has been reviewed by an expert panel for it to be relative to the Southern culture. Additions to the curriculum will include the new MyPlate guidelines. Decisions have been finalized regarding the type of questions that will be utilized in the research protocol and the type of data collection that will be conducted, including physical measure like height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). Manuals of operations have been selected and revised as needed for the research, including the Data Collection Manual, the Training Manual for Data Collection (Anthropometric), and the Interviewer Training Manual. Contact was made to establish contractual agreements between Alcorn State University and the Northeastern University in Boston, MA, in alignment with the revised project. The Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative (NIRI) Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ) have been secured from Northeastern University. Northeastern University is slated to provide Alcorn with the nutrient analysis of the FFQ. Four training sessions have been conducted in the administration of the FFQ and techniques for other research data collection/activities. Nutrition and Dietetic Program Students, Extension Program Nutrition Educators, and Alcorn State University researchers were trained. Recruitment materials were provided to Directors at Head Start Centers for distribution prior to closing of the centers for summer. Additional recruitment packets have been prepared for continuation of recruitment when the centers open for the fall session. To enhance recruitment, preparation is underway to host recruitment fairs at community centers and churches, targeting caregivers of Head Start children in the targeted counties in early September 2012. Program implementation will begin in October 2012.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The mission of the Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit is to conduct nutrition research to prevent obesity in at-risk, rural populations in the Lower Mississippi Delta of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is coordinating a major research endeavor that brings together the talents of ARS and other research cooperators in a tri-state region to accomplish the following: 1) Identify barriers and facilitators to adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DG) and examine how differential profiles of adherence relate to obesity in children and adults of the Delta region (ARS HEALTH study); 2) extend the behavioral knowledge gained from ARS research studies and other food availability and food cost surveys in the Delta, to adapt existing DG eating patterns, such as the USDA Food Guide (MyPyramid) and the DASH Eating Plan, for the Lower Mississippi Delta population. Test the developed eating patterns for nutritional adequacy and feasibility of adoption by the Delta population. Concurrently, adapt DG physical activity recommendations for the Delta population and examine feasibility of adoption; 3) evaluate the effectiveness of the adapted DG eating patterns, with and without physical activity, in reducing weight gain and risk factors for obesity-related chronic disease in the Lower Mississippi Delta population through the use of interventional studies. Determine if diet-gene relationships underlie the effectiveness of the adapted eating patterns. Approach (from AD-416) The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit, in partnership with other ARS laboratories and research cooperators, has developed a strategic plan to improve the health of at-risk, rural populations of the Lower Mississippi Delta through obesity prevention research. Utilizing multi-faceted research approaches, this endeavor will provide a greater understanding of this population�s adherence to national dietary guidance for prevention of obesity and reduced risk for obesity-related chronic disease through the use of dietary and physical activity interventions using established scientific study designs and methods meeting the requirements for evidence based reviews. This cooperative research seeks solutions to these complex challenges through multidisciplinary team research and through cooperation with the general public, local government, policy makers, other institutions and agencies. Research internships addressing the objectives above may be created for university students in the tri-state area. The Dietary Guideline (DG) Stars pilot program was completed and focused on using nutrition education and physical activity (PA) to encourage adaption of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake among children ages 11-14 years. A final data collection for the 3-month follow-up (after the ending of the DG Stars Intervention) was completed on a subset of the participants. For the school age children's project, the project manual of procedure was finalized and a branding of the project was completed (DG Stars). Agreement was established with Natchez-Adams school district to conduct research activities for the full intervention, which will involve 3 different schools in Mississippi. We held meetings with Vicksburg Junior High School to gain entrance into the school system for research purposes. Several phases of the women's intervention were complete, specifically focus groups were completed with limited-resource African American women with school-aged children in several Mississippi counties. The purpose of the focus groups was to discuss eating behaviors regarding FV consumption, nutrition knowledge of MyPyramid for eating FV, and the presence of social support to consume FV. A curriculum created by Cornell University Extension Program was selected as the nutrition education medium for the nutrition education portion of the "Mothers Helping Others (MHO)" intervention. It has been reviewed by an expert panel for relativity to Southern culture. Additions to the curriculum will include the new 2011 MyPlate guidelines. In the MHO program, we have finalized the type of questions that will be used in the research protocol and the type of data collection that will be conducted, including physical measures: height, weight, and blood pressure. Furthermore, manuals of operations have been completed for the research, including the MHO Data Collection Manual, the MHO Training Manual for Data Collection (anthropometric/physical), and the MHO Interviewer Training Manual. Contractual agreements have been created between Alcorn and Northeastern Univ. (Boston, MA) to provide Alcorn with the Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), nutrient analysis of the FFQ, and HEI score analysis of the FFQ for each participant. Focus groups were completed on 120 school-aged children looking at children's knowledge of the DG related to FV intake and PA, knowledge and usage of the mypyramid.gov website, and eating behavior among this age group. After review and analysis of the DG Stars focus group discussions, an abstract was submitted to the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE 2011), titled "MyPyramid.gov Knowledge and Access among Rural Southwest Mississippi African American Adolescents" and will be published in the September 2011 Journal of the American Dietetic Association and presented at the FNCE 2011 Conference. The information, gathered and identified thru these focus groups, gives insight into the marketing of the MyPyramid/MyPlate website to youth. The ADODR monitors activities for the project by routine site visits, quarterly project review teleconferences for peer review of progress, and annual research workshops.
Impacts
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Publications
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Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The mission of the Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit is to conduct nutrition research to prevent obesity in at-risk, rural populations in the Lower Mississippi Delta of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is coordinating a major research endeavor that brings together the talents of ARS and other research cooperators in a tri-state region to accomplish the following: 1) Identify barriers and facilitators to adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DG) and examine how differential profiles of adherence relate to obesity in children and adults of the Delta region (ARS HEALTH study); 2) extend the behavioral knowledge gained from ARS research studies and other food availability and food cost surveys in the Delta, to adapt existing DG eating patterns, such as the USDA Food Guide (MyPyramid) and the DASH Eating Plan, for the Lower Mississippi Delta population. Test the developed eating patterns for nutritional adequacy and feasibility of adoption by the Delta population. Concurrently, adapt DG physical activity recommendations for the Delta population and examine feasibility of adoption; 3) evaluate the effectiveness of the adapted DG eating patterns, with and without physical activity, in reducing weight gain and risk factors for obesity-related chronic disease in the Lower Mississippi Delta population through the use of interventional studies. Determine if diet-gene relationships underlie the effectiveness of the adapted eating patterns. Approach (from AD-416) The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit, in partnership with other ARS laboratories and research cooperators, has developed a strategic plan to improve the health of at-risk, rural populations of the Lower Mississippi Delta through obesity prevention research. Utilizing multi-faceted research approaches, this endeavor will provide a greater understanding of this population�s adherence to national dietary guidance for prevention of obesity and reduced risk for obesity-related chronic disease through the use of dietary and physical activity interventions using established scientific study designs and methods meeting the requirements for evidence based reviews. This cooperative research seeks solutions to these complex challenges through multidisciplinary team research and through cooperation with the general public, local government, policy makers, other institutions and agencies. Research internships addressing the objectives above may be created for university students in the tri-state area. FY10 progress was associated with the school-aged children research intervention and developing a program of nutrition education and physical activity for middle school children. Alcorn State University (ASU) researchers began the project using the Exercise Your Option curriculum created by the Dairy Council of California and a physical activity curriculum created by ASU. Memorandums of Understanding were updated in Claiborne and Jefferson County schools districts, that are located within rural southwest Mississippi. Claiborne County School (Port Gibson Middle School) received and distributed consent forms to student population. The Jefferson County Middle School was accommodating to the ASU researchers and allowed for quantitative and qualitative data collection and research to begin in October 2009. Students were given consent forms to take home to parents. Two hundred thirty-nine middle school-aged children in Jefferson County returned completed consent forms giving ASU research team consent to have the children participate in the research taking place in that schools. Hinds County School (Utica Middle School) was contacted repeatedly in the fall of 2009 with no success. Utica Middle School was involved in a grant with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi and Project Fit America. No additional conversations have taken place regarding ASU's program for this school. A baseline Manual of Procedure was created for the school aged children's research. In addition, research staff were hired and trained to conduct focus group sessions as moderators and recorders, to collect anthropometric data, to administer pre-test post-test data collection tools, and to conduct the intervention with minimum support. In Jefferson County Middle School, 26 focus groups were conducted with a total of 162 participants (61% Female). Focus group data is being analyzed and prepared for manuscript writing. Moreover, the middle school study was completed for year one at Jefferson County Middle School to include pre- test and post-test data collection related to demographics, anthropometric data, nutrition knowledge and behavior, physical activity knowledge and behavior, and physical fitness levels. There were 196 students that completed pre-test data collection and 227 students that completed the post-test data collection. The differential in the numbers is related to changes in the class schedule at the middle school. Some attrition may have also been related to scheduling changes as well as student changing schools. Alcorn State University is working with a statistician within the ASU system to address the analysis needs of this data collection and will seek additional counsel from statisticians working on other projects in ARS. There was some preliminary work done to address the mother intervention proposed by ASU. The creation of the 21- day rotation menus was completed in this current year. Year two will be the year of manual development and execution of the mothers' intervention at ASU. The ADODR monitors activities for the project by routine site visits, quarterly project review teleconferences, and annual research workshops.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The mission of the Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit is to conduct nutrition research to prevent obesity in at-risk, rural populations in the Lower Mississippi Delta of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is coordinating a major research endeavor that brings together the talents of ARS and other research cooperators in a tri-state region to accomplish the following: 1) Identify barriers and facilitators to adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DG) and examine how differential profiles of adherence relate to obesity in children and adults of the Delta region (ARS HEALTH study); 2) extend the behavioral knowledge gained from ARS research studies and other food availability and food cost surveys in the Delta, to adapt existing DG eating patterns, such as the USDA Food Guide (MyPyramid) and the DASH Eating Plan, for the Lower Mississippi Delta population. Test the developed eating patterns for nutritional adequacy and feasibility of adoption by the Delta population. Concurrently, adapt DG physical activity recommendations for the Delta population and examine feasibility of adoption; 3) evaluate the effectiveness of the adapted DG eating patterns, with and without physical activity, in reducing weight gain and risk factors for obesity-related chronic disease in the Lower Mississippi Delta population through the use of interventional studies. Determine if diet-gene relationships underlie the effectiveness of the adapted eating patterns. Approach (from AD-416) The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit, in partnership with other ARS laboratories and research cooperators, has developed a strategic plan to improve the health of at-risk, rural populations of the Lower Mississippi Delta through obesity prevention research. Utilizing multi-faceted research approaches, this endeavor will provide a greater understanding of this population�s adherence to national dietary guidance for prevention of obesity and reduced risk for obesity-related chronic disease through the use of dietary and physical activity interventions using established scientific study designs and methods meeting the requirements for evidence based reviews. This cooperative research seeks solutions to these complex challenges through multidisciplinary team research and through cooperation with the general public, local government, policy makers, other institutions and agencies. Research internships addressing the objectives above may be created for university students in the tri-state area. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations Alcorn State University is utilizing funds to employ and provide experiential learning for students in the area of nutrition education and obesity. Monitoring of cooperator's performance and adherence to conditions of the agreement was accomplished by one site visit, two research workshops, quarterly progress reports containing budgetary materials, progress towards goals and objectives, review of publications and manuscripts in progress, conference calls and numerous emails.
Impacts
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Publications
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