The Role of Obesity in Maternal and Child Health Disparities in Jefferson County

描述：尽管在过去的几十年里，美国居民的整体健康状况有了很大的改善，但非西班牙裔黑人受到各种慢性疾病的影响不成比例，包括癌症、2型糖尿病、高血压和心血管疾病。此外，居住在南方腹地(如阿拉巴马州、佐治亚州、路易斯安那州、密西西比州、北卡罗来纳州和南卡罗来纳州)的成年人和儿童的健康状况较差。在美国，几乎所有导致发病率和死亡率的主要原因都与肥胖和不健康的生活方式(例如，糟糕的饮食、缺乏运动)有关。 近80%的非西班牙裔黑人女性和29%的非西班牙裔黑人2-5岁儿童超重或肥胖。研究跟踪了从童年到成年的身体质量指数(BMI)和不健康的行为，增加了上述慢性病在以后生活中的患病风险。这一点尤为突出，因为每3名低收入儿童中就有1人在5岁生日之前超重或肥胖。另一方面，越来越多的证据表明，肥胖儿童后来成为非肥胖成年人，他们患慢性病的风险降低到与孩提时代从未肥胖的人相似的水平。因此，实现健康体重、定期体育锻炼和健康饮食的早期干预措施，可能会更有希望减缓或扭转慢性病风险上升的轨迹。拟议的赠款将利用基于社区的参与性研究(CBPR)来更好地了解居住在亚利桑那州杰斐逊县的低收入非西班牙裔育龄黑人妇女及其年幼子女肥胖的主要原因。此外，我们将制定相关和循证的预防和干预战略，以促进健康公平，改善这一最脆弱群体的健康结果。这项研究的目的是：(1)建立和保持学术-社区伙伴关系，以更好地了解和解决肥胖在孕产妇和儿童结局差异中的作用；(2)确定社区资产、需求和机会，以确定与社区相关的干预措施；(3)与低收入母亲和儿童一起实施健康教育/促进活动；(4)制定长期合作的CBPR研究议程，以减少健康差异。

DESCRIPTION: Despite significant improvements in the overall health of residents of the United States (US) over the past few decades, non-Hispanic blacks are disproportionately impacted by a myriad of chronic medical conditions including cancer, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, residing in the Deep South (e.g., Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina) is associated with poor health outcomes for adults and children. Nearly all of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the US are associated with obesity and unhealthy lifestyles (e.g., poor diet, physical inactivity). Nearly 80% of non- Hispanic black women and 29% of non-Hispanic black 2-5 year olds are overweight or obese. Research has tracked body mass index (BMI) and unhealthy behaviors from childhood to adulthood, increasing disease risk for the aforementioned chronic conditions later in life. This is particularly salient as 1 in 3 low-income children are overweight or obese before their 5th birthday. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that obese children who later become non-obese adults, lower their risk of chronic disease to a level similar to people who were never obese as children. As such, early interventions that lead to the achievement of healthy weight, regular physical activity, and healthy diets may hold greater promise to slow or reverse the trajectory of elevated chronic disease risk. The proposed grant will utilize Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) to better understand the primary contributors of obesity among low-income non-Hispanic black women of childbearing age and their young children living in Jefferson County, AL. Further, we will develop relevant and evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies to promote health equity and improve health outcomes for this most vulnerable population. The aims of the study are: (1) establish and maintain academic- community partnerships to better understand and address the role of obesity in disparities in maternal and child outcomes; (2) identify community assets, needs, and opportunities in order to identify a community- relevant interventions; (3) implement health education/promotion activities with low-income mothers and children; and (4) develop a long-term collaborative CBPR research agenda to reduce health disparities.