Family Eats: Cancer Prevention for Families

描述（由申请人提供）：尽管所有种族的个体都有很高的癌症负担，但在癌症发病率和死亡率方面存在种族差异。与白人相比，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群高40%。肥胖、高脂肪和低水果(F)和蔬菜(V)摄入量增加癌症风险。癌症的发展可能需要很长一段时间，有些可能在儿童时期就开始了；因此，在儿童时期促进FV和防止体重过度增加可能对癌症有保护作用。家庭通过直接塑造儿童的饮食行为、围绕食物的育儿技巧和控制家庭饮食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，特别是在少数民族群体中，这些群体在文化和家庭功能的其他方面可能有所不同。不幸的是，社区家庭干预的参与率较低，这表明需要研究替代干预提供系统。互联网为家庭提供了方便。在之前的R21申请中，首席研究员开发了一个8期互动式网络项目，为有9-12岁女儿的非裔美国家庭促进健康的家庭食品环境（Family Eats）。评估了家庭饮食的可行性，并获得了中介变量的变化。本应用程序将测试家庭饮食网络计划的有效性，以改善400个有9-10岁儿童的AA家庭的FV和饮食脂肪行为以及体重结果。这项重要的研究将为非裔美国家庭的行为改变干预开辟一条新的渠道，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。公共卫生相关性：通过互联网向非裔美国家庭提供的一项经过验证的健康饮食和肥胖预防干预措施，有望帮助减少患癌症的风险因素。互联网的便利性将使大量家庭能够参与并学习采用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.