Recorded presentation

Susanne B. Montgomery, PhD, MPH¹, Patti Herring, PhD, RN², Antronette K. Yancey, MD, MPH³, W. Lawrence Beeson, MSPH⁴, Terry Butler, DrPH⁵, Synnove F. Knutsen, MD, MPH, PhD⁶, and Gary Fraser, MD, PhD⁵. (1) Department of Health Promotion and Education, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Nicol Hall Room 1511, Loma Linda, CA 92350, (909) 558-8745, smontgomery@sph.llu.edu, (2) School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion and Education, Loma Linda University, Nichol Hall, Room 1501, Loma Linda, CA 92350, (3) School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, (4) Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Loma Linda University School of Public Health, 24785 Stewart Street, Evans Hall, Room 215, Loma Linda, CA 92350, (5) Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Loma Linda University, School of Public Health, Evans Hall, Room 203, Loma Linda, CA 92350, (6) Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Nichol Hall, Hill Drive, Loma Linda, CA 92354

Despite the fact that the average US life expectancy has increased, a strong disparity in most health outcomes remains between Blacks and Whites. This is only partly explained by SES variables, including health insurance status. Finding effective ways to promote healthy lifestyle is key to changing this. Seventh day Adventists strongly promote healthy lifestyle through their churches. Participants in the Adventist Health Study answered questions about lifestyle, diet and exercise. .Of the first 47,217 participants 35% are male , 21% Black, Black females were less likely to have a regular exercise program (47% vs. 52%) and less frequently report exercising vigorously. Blacks report watching more television than Whites and report slightly higher lifetime use of alcohol, but less current use (6% vs. 8%). Tobacco use in this study is generally low and Blacks report higher lifetime use and slightly higher current use (2% vs. 1%). Blacks report sleeping fewer hours per night and fewer Blacks reported eating a meatless diet (27% vs. 47%). Black females are the least likely to report being in good or excellent health (76% vs. 85%) and Blacks overall are more likely to be over ideal body weight. While disease rates in general were lower than reported for the general population, and self reported life style patterns were more positive hypertension is higher for Blacks than for Whites (36% vs. 26%), as is diabetes (12% vs. 7%). We will explore if church encouragement results in healthy lifestyle and in less negative health outcomes regardless of race/ethnicity.

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