264578 Living Large in the Black Community: Redefining Obesity as a Health Problem

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 : 10:30 AM - 10:50 AM

Tracy Sbrocco, PhD , Center for Health Disparities, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Tonya Samuel, EdD, MSPH , USU Center for Health Disparities, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Elena Spieker, MS , Center for Health Disparities, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Candace Hall, BA , USU Center for Health Disparities, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Michele Carter, PhD , Dept of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC
Jaesin Sa, PhD , Department of Exercise Science, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD
  
Background: Traditionally, “being big” has been accepted in the black community. Yet, obesity has reached epidemic proportions and is threatening the quality of life and livelihood of too many African Americans. Helping African Americans mitigate chronic diseases requires coming to terms with the acceptance of overweight in the black community. From this understanding, better health messaging can be developed to address the association of obesity and chronic disease in this community. Purpose: Examine the association of health interests and health problems among African American congregates to inform health outreach workers on the programming needs for the Glorifying Our Spiritual and Physical Existence for Life (G.O.S.P.E.L.) program. Significance: Results of a faith-based community needs assessment suggest an obesity paradox. Participants were very interested in chronic disease management, but were not interested in weight control. Methods: G.O.S.P.E.L. outreach workers and research staff from the Uniformed Services University Center for Health Disparities (USUCHD) collaborated on the development and implementation of a needs assessment survey. Almost six hundred individuals from 8 churches participated. Results: Eighty percent of participants were overweight. The majority of participants indicated they were interested in education and management strategies for a variety of chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, hypertension). However, only a quarter were interested in weight management. Based on these results, outreach workers identified the obesity paradox as a priority for the community and developed a series of programming strategies to inform and engage the community on the health impact of obesity on families.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the problems of overweight and obesity among African Americans. 2. Identify chronic diseases associated with obesity. 3. Differentiate obesity as a health problem vs. obesity as an appearance issue. 4. List health promotion strategies to address obesity in the African American community.

Keywords: Chronic Diseases, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an associate professor, Department of Psychology, Uniformed Services University and Dir, USU Center for Health Disparities. I have conducted weight management in predominately African American/Black churches in the metro Washington DC area for over a decade and a half.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5112.1: Food and Nutritional Needs across the lifespan to improve health outcomes in African American Communities