Family Eats: Cancer Prevention for Families

描述(申请人提供)：尽管癌症的负担在所有种族中都很高，但在癌症发病率和死亡率方面存在种族差异。与白人人口相比，非洲裔美国人患某些癌症的几率更高，死亡率至少比其他人口高40%。肥胖、高脂肪、水果(F)和蔬菜(V)摄入量低会增加癌症风险。癌症可能会在很长一段时间内发展起来，有些癌症可能始于儿童时期；因此，促进FV并防止儿童时期体重过度增加可能是癌症的预防措施。家庭通过直接示范饮食行为、围绕食物的育儿技巧和控制家庭食物环境来影响儿童的饮食行为。然而，很少有干预研究关注家庭对饮食行为的影响，特别是在可能在文化和家庭功能的其他方面存在差异的少数民族群体中。不幸的是，以社区为基础的家庭干预的参与率很低，这意味着需要调查替代干预提供系统。互联网为家庭提供了方便的家庭访问。在之前的R21申请中，首席调查员开发了一个基于网络的八节互动方案，为有9-12岁女儿的非裔美国家庭(家庭饮食)促进健康的家庭食物环境。评估了家庭EATS的可行性，并获得了中介变量的变化。这个应用程序将测试家庭饮食网络计划在400个有9-10岁儿童的AA家庭中改善FV和饮食脂肪行为和体重结果的有效性。这项重要的研究将开创对非裔美国家庭进行行为改变干预的新渠道，并有望惠及大量儿童及其家庭，使所有人都能采取健康的饮食行为，实现能量平衡，降低癌症风险。与公共健康相关：通过互联网为非裔美国家庭提供的健康饮食和肥胖预防的有效干预措施，有望帮助减少癌症的风险因素。互联网的便利将使大量家庭能够参与并学习采取健康饮食行为的技能，从而降低癌症风险。这是一种成本相对较低的改善健康和生活质量的方法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Although the burden of cancer is high among individuals of all ethnicities, ethnic differences in cancer incidence and mortality exist. African-Americans experience a higher incidence of certain cancers compared with the White population, with mortality rates at least 40% higher than other populations. Obesity, high fat, and low fruit (F) and vegetable (V) intakes increase cancer risks. Cancers may develop over a long period of time, with some possibly initiating in childhood; therefore, promoting FV and preventing excess weight gain during childhood could be cancer protective. Families influence children's dietary behaviors by direct modeling of dietary behaviors, parenting skills around food, and controlling the home food environment. However, few intervention studies have focused on family influences on dietary behaviors, particularly among ethnic minority groups which may differ in cultural and other aspects of family functioning. Unfortunately, low participation rates for community-based family interventions suggest that alternate intervention delivery systems be investigated. The internet provides family access within the convenience of the home. In a previous R21 application, the Principal Investigator developed an eight-session interactive web-based program promoting a healthy home food environment for African-American families with 9-12 year old daughters (Family Eats). Family Eats was evaluated for feasibility and changes in mediating variables were obtained. This application will test the efficacy of the Family Eats web program to improve FV and dietary fat behavior and weight outcomes among 400 AA families with 9-10 year old children. This important study will pioneer a new channel for behavior change intervention with African-American families and holds the promise of reaching large numbers of children and their families, enabling all to adopt healthy eating behaviors and achieve energy balance and reduce cancer risks. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: A proven intervention for healthy eating and obesity prevention, delivered via the internet for African-American families, holds the promise of helping reduce risk factors for cancer. The convenience of the internet will enable large numbers of families to participate and learn skills to adopt healthy eating behaviors that will reduce cancer risk. This is a relatively low cost method for improving health and quality of life.