The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #59730

Kim M. Gans, PhD, MPH, LDN¹, Patricia M Risica, DrPH, RD¹, Thomas M. Lasater, PhD¹, and Shiriki K. Kumanyika, PhD, MPH². (1) Institute for Community Health Promotion, Brown University, 1 Hoppin St., Coro 4-West, Providence, RI 02903, (2) Center for Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 8th Floor Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia PA, PA 19104-6021

SisterTalk was a five-year grant to develop, deliver and evaluate a culturally sensitive weight control program for Black women in Boston via “live” cable television. The intervention included 12 weekly hour-long TV shows and then 4 monthly booster shows mailed on video. Participants also received accompanying mailed written materials. We recruited four cohorts of women totalling 374 participants. Diet (including a Food Habits Questionnaire, portion size tool, “overeating” scale and other measures), physical activity, height and weight (calculated BMI) were measured at baseline, and at 3, 8 and 12 months. Follow-up response rates ranged from 57-79%. Results indicate that intervention participants had significantly more change in diet than control group participants from baseline to 3 and baseline to 12 months. Changes in physical activity were larger for intervention compared with control participants at all three time points, though not significantly. BMI change was significantly different between intervention and control between baseline and 3 months, and the intervention group also appeared to demonstrate better weight maintenance than the control group. Independent predictors of BMI change at 3 month follow-up were: living without children in the household, as well as changes in the following variables: days per week of physical activity, time spent on feet (rather than sitting), mean portion size, and “overeating” scale. We will also present the predictors of BMI change at 8 and 12 months, and discuss mediating variables for change in BMI. The implications of these findings on the development of future weight control programs will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will explain the SisterTalk results regarding change in diet, physical activity and weight.
• Participants will interpret the predictors of BMI change in SisterTalk.
• Participants will discuss the implications of the above results on development of future weight control programs.

Keywords: Obesity, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Brown University
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.