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

Abstract #73082

Shene Bowie, MPH, East Oakland Faith Deliverance Center, 7425 International Blvd., Oakland, CA 94621, 510/638-1742, shenebowie@aol.com

“Healthy Lifestyles for Heavenly Bodies” is the name given to the health ministry at East Oakland Faith Deliverance Center. This program promotes the importance of increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and increase level of physical activity to 30 minutes per day for adults and 60 minutes for youth. It also incorporates nutrition education and physical activity promotion into the curriculum offered at Ray E. Mack Christian Academy housed at the church. Students in grades K-8 are involved in activities that train parents, teachers and students about healthful lifestyles.

The program reaches congregational members through workshops that address healthy eating, food preparation, weight management, cooking demonstrations, diabetes, breast cancer and church sponsored physical activities including walking groups and gospel aerobics. Partnerships with Eastmont Wellness Center, First AME Church and the East Oakland Health Center further link members to their community. Additional outreach to church youth includes nutrition education classes, baseball tournaments, and softball teams. Activities are marketed along with nutrition education tips through newsletters, radio announcements and newspaper articles. The program has developed a farmers’ market that increases access to fruits and vegetables in the East Oakland area.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of session, participants will be able to: 1. Identify two (
• new, applicable and appropriate nutrition interventions that will motivate low income, minority populations toward positive behavior change, including increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. 2. Describe how nutrition education/physical activity projects will work in participating specific low-income communities of diversity. 3. Understand the unique contributions made by integrated nutrition interventions to prevent and reduce health disparities in diverse low-income minority communities.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.