Progress 05/01/11 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): Obesity in children and adults may be the most serious problem that human nutrition research has ever faced. It is a serious burden to the health care system and adversely impacts the well-being of the nation, particularly in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD). The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is coordinating a major research endeavor that brings together the talents of ARS and other research cooperators in the LMD region to develop strategies for reducing obesity in LMD populations through physical activity and nutrition. Approach (from AD-416): The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit, in partnership with other ARS research laboratories and research cooperators, has developed a strategic plan to improve the health of at-risk, rural populations of the LMD 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 project is titled "Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit � Delta Health Alliance." It involves the collaboration of ARS and DHA to conduct two research studies, Delta Body and Soul and Delta Healthy Sprouts. Delta Body and Soul was a 6-month, church -ased, diet and physical activity intervention for African American adults residing in the MS Delta. Delta Body and Soul was designed to improve diet quality and increase physical activity in adults. The implementation and data collection phases of this study have been completed for all three cohorts of participants (2009-2010, 2010-2011, and 2011-2012). One manuscript reporting results from the first cohort of participants (45 control and 81 intervention) is being revised for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. One manuscript reporting results from the second cohort of participants (208 control and 194 intervention) has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Preventing Chronic Disease, while a second paper has been accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed journal American Journal of Health Promotion. Data from the third cohort of participants (122 control and 287 intervention) has been cleaned and is being analyzed. Delta Healthy Sprouts is an 18-month, randomized, controlled comparative trial testing the efficacy of two Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting programs on weight status, dietary intake, and health behaviors of African American mothers and their infants residing in the rural Mississippi Delta region. The control arm of the intervention, Parents as Teachers, is an evidence-based approach to increase parental knowledge of child development and improve parenting practices. The experimental arm of the intervention, Parents as Teachers Enhanced, builds on the Parents as Teachers curriculum by including nutrition and physical activity components specifically designed for the gestational and postnatal periods. Both arms of the intervention were delivered in the participants' home by trained Parent Educators. Training in recruiting techniques and strategies, Parents as Teachers curriculum, Parents as Teachers Enhanced curriculum, anthropometric measurement, 24- hour dietary recall methodology, and computer-assisted personal interviewing for the Project Manager and three Parent Educators was conducted from August 2012 to present and is on-going. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was received for this study in December 2012. Participant recruitment began in late January 2013. As of July 2013, 56 individuals were referred to the study, 51 were screened, 33 were determined ineligible, and 18 were enrolled into the study. Data collection is on-going. Dissemination of research results from the diet and physical activity interventions conducted in the Lower Mississippi Delta included two conference posters at the Research Centers in Minority Institutions International Symposium on Health Disparities, San Juan, PR. Dissemination of design and methods for maternal and infant diet and physical activity intervention conducted in the Lower Mississippi Delta included one conference poster at the Experimental Biology meeting, Boston, MA. The impact of these posters was increased knowledge and awareness of research conducted by ARS Delta Human Nutrition Research Program and their university and community partners.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): Obesity in children and adults may be the most serious problem that human nutrition research has ever faced. It is a serious burden to the health care system and adversely impacts the well-being of the nation, particularly in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD). The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is coordinating a major research endeavor that brings together the talents of ARS and other research cooperators in the LMD region to develop strategies for reducing obesity in LMD populations through physical activity and nutrition. Approach (from AD-416): The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit, in partnership with other ARS research laboratories and research cooperators, has developed a strategic plan to improve the health of at-risk, rural populations of the LMD 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. The Delta Health Alliance (DHA), in cooperation with the USDA/ARS and Mississippi Valley State University, aims to address the obesity epidemic in the Lower Mississippi Delta region of Mississippi through community- based prevention and intervention programs. We adapted a church-based, dietary intervention program called Delta Body and Soul from the National Cancer Institute's Body and Soul program and implemented this program in African American churches located in the Lower Mississippi Delta region. The cooperator participated in the efficacy trial of the moderate intensity iteration of the program, which included additional educational sessions, research-team-led peer counseling, and on-site weekly physical activity sessions. We successfully recruited and implemented the program in five intervention and three control churches. We have collected baseline demographic, clinical, and survey data for 421 participants and follow-up data for 322 participants who completed the program. We have cleaned, double-entered, and systematically checked for accuracy (using a multi-level quality assurance process) all baseline and follow-up data, with the exception of the dietary surveys. We have cleaned and sent the baseline and follow-up dietary surveys to our collaborators at Northeastern University for processing. Also, statistical support from Milliken and Associates, Manhattan, KS, was provided to Delta OPRU partners Alcorn University and University of Southern Mississippi through this agreement. The cooperator (DHA) played a significant role in church and participant recruitment, data collection, program implementation, program coordination, peer counseling, participant retention, and data cleaning, entry, and management.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Obesity in children and adults may be the most serious problem that human nutrition research has ever faced. It is a serious burden to the health care system and adversely impacts the well-being of the nation, particularly in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD). The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is coordinating a major research endeavor that brings together the talents of ARS and other research cooperators in the LMD region to develop strategies for reducing obesity in LMD populations through physical activity and nutrition. Approach (from AD-416) The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit, in partnership with other ARS research laboratories and research cooperators, has developed a strategic plan to improve the health of at-risk, rural populations of the LMD 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 agreement was recently established; scientific milestones and research protocols are being discussed and evaluated. No other progress has been made thus far. Monitoring of cooperator's performance and adherence to conditions of the agreement was by: a site visit; quarterly reports consisting of budgetary material, progress towards goals and objectives, and review of publications and manuscripts in progress; and conference calls and emails.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
|