Developing a Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Body Weight for Obese African American Men Living in the Rural South

描述：肥胖和许多致胖行为的患病率在生活在以下地区的成年人中较高： 与美国城市地区相比，农村地区的健康状况更差，可能导致多种农村健康差异。 需要采取干预措施来解决这些差异，特别是对于农村非洲裔美国人， 在行为减肥试验中的代表性很低。在南方农村，拟议的研究将 然而，有证据表明，男性减肥的积极性低于女性。动机较低 减肥可能解释了男性在农村减肥试验中参与率较低的原因。因此，我们将开发一个 针对农村非洲裔美国男性的行为减肥干预， 自我决定理论，除了生态系统理论和社会认知理论的元素 理论我们假设，我们的理论为基础的行为减肥干预将是有效的， 吸引，留住，并激励农村非洲裔美国人从事健康的减肥行为。 本研究的具体目的是：（1）进行焦点小组访谈，以了解障碍和促进因素 开发减肥干预，将吸引，保留，激励，并满足南方农村的需求， 非裔美国人从事健康的减肥行为; 2）开发，评估，并完善一个 南部农村非洲裔美国男性的行为减肥干预; 3）进行试点 随机等待名单对照试验，以确定初步的减肥效果的综合行为 减肥干预南部农村非洲裔美国人。本报告中提出的研究和培训 K23职业发展奖将支持候选人成为独立的长期职业目标 护士科学家，在开发和测试行为干预措施以减少肥胖方面具有专业知识， 生活在农村地区的弱势群体。与他的国际知名专家指导团队合作， 在行为改变、基于社区的研究和农村卫生方面，候选人已经制定了培训计划 涉及课程，研讨会和指导研究经验，旨在解决 以下职业目标：1）扩大他对影响农村和少数民族健康差距的因素的理解; 2)扩大评估饮食行为和身体活动的知识和技能; 3）发展 设计，进行和评估行为减肥试验; 4）提高知识和技能， 行为试验中使用的生物统计方法; 5）提高农村地区与肥胖相关的学术生产力 地区在完成本奖项中提出的研究和培训活动后，候选人将很好地 进一步开发和测试解决农村成年人肥胖问题的新干预措施。

DESCRIPTION: The prevalence of obesity and many obesogenic behaviors is higher among adults living in rural compared to urban areas of the United States and likely contribute to multiple rural health disparities. Interventions are needed to address these disparities, particularly for rural African American men who are largely underrepresented in behavioral weight loss trials. In the rural South, where the proposed research will be conducted, there is evidence that that men are less motivated than women to lose weight. Lower motivation to lose weight may explain men’s lower participation rates in rural weight loss trials. Thus, we will develop a behavioral weight loss intervention for rural African American men that incorporates motivational elements from Self-Determination Theory, in addition to elements from Ecological Systems Theory and Social Cognitive Theory. We hypothesize that our theoretically-based behavioral weight loss intervention will be effective in attracting, retaining, and motivating rural African American men to engage in healthy weight loss behaviors. The specific aims of the study are to (1) Conduct focus group interviews to understand barriers and facilitators for developing a weight loss intervention that will attract, retain, motivate, and meet the needs of Southern rural African American men for engaging in healthy weight loss behaviors; 2) Develop, evaluate, and refine a behavioral weight loss intervention for Southern rural African American men; and 3) Conduct a pilot randomized wait-list control trial to determine preliminary weight loss effects of the comprehensive behavioral weight loss intervention for Southern rural African American men. The research and training proposed in this K23 career development award will support the candidate’s long-term career goal of becoming an independent nurse scientist with expertise in developing and testing behavioral interventions to reduce obesity for vulnerable adults living in rural areas. In collaboration with his mentoring team of internationally-known experts in behavior change, community-based research, and rural health, the candidate has developed a training plan involving coursework, seminars, and mentored research experiences that are designed to address the following career goals: 1) broaden his understanding of factors influencing rural and minority health disparities; 2) expand knowledge and skills in assessing dietary behaviors and physical activity; 3) develop expertise in the design, conduct, and evaluation of behavioral weight loss trials; 4) enhance knowledge and skills in biostatistical methods used in behavioral trials; and 5) increase scholarly productivity related to obesity in rural areas. Upon completing the research and training activities proposed in this award, the candidate will be well positioned to further develop and test novel interventions that address obesity for rural adults.