Black adults in the United States are disproportionately affected by health disparities, such as overweight and obesity. Research suggests that Black adults engage in fewer health-promoting behaviors (e.g., physical activity and healthy eating) than their non-Hispanic White counterparts. These health-promoting behaviors are known protective factors against overweight/obesity and related health concerns. This community-based participatory research study employed a waitlist control design and a university-church partnership approach to test the impact of a church-based health-empowerment program designed to increase health-promoting behaviors (called health-smart behaviors) and improve health indicators (e.g., reduce weight) among overweight/obese Black adult churchgoers. Results indicate that the intervention group (n = 37) experienced a significant increase in levels of healthy eating and physical activity and a significant decrease in weight compared to the waitlist control group (n = 33). Results from this study have implications for the design of church-based, culturally sensitive health promotion interventions to increase health-smart behaviors and ultimately prevent and reduce obesity and related diseases in Black communities.
Keywords: Black adults; Church-based health program; Community-based participatory research; Health disparities; Health promotion.