Purpose: African Americans have the highest incidence and mortality from obesity-related cancers. While physical activity and minimizing alcohol intake are two important cancer prevention behaviors, physical activity is also a firmly established obesity prevention behavior. In Non-Hispanic Whites, low-to-moderate alcohol use has been negatively associated with obesity, though the limited research with African Americans indicates that any alcohol use is positively associated with obesity. The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between alcohol intake and physical activity, and assess the association of both of these variables with Body Mass Index (BMI) in African Americans.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis using data from Project CHURCH, a cohort of African American churchgoing adults residing in the Houston area. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires, including measures on physical activity, alcohol intake, and BMI, along with demographic and other behavioral measures. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the association between physical activity (minutes of per week), alcohol intake (drinks per week), and obesity (BMI), controlling for age, gender, education, income, employment, marital status, general health status, smoking, and dietary intake.

Results: The sample (N=1040) is mostly female, employed, and college graduates. Most reported meeting physical activity guidelines (74%) and low/moderate drinking (73%). There was a weak positive association between physical activity and alcohol use (Pearson’s r= 0.15, p<.001), controlling for covariates. As expected, there was a significant inverse association between physical activity minutes/week and BMI (Beta= -0.001, p<0.001), though there was no statistically significant association between number of alcoholic drinks per week and BMI. There was no interaction between physical activity and alcohol use on BMI.

Conclusions: In this faith-based sample of African Americans, physical activity and alcohol use were positively associated, and physical activity and BMI were negatively associated, mirroring results with Non-Hispanic White samples. However, alcohol use and BMI were not significantly associated among African Americans. Cancer and obesity prevention interventions with this African American cohort should emphasize physical activity promotion while continuing to include messaging on minimizing alcohol intake.

Purpose: This study explored multiple lifestyle behaviors in rural cancer survivors in central Pennsylvania to understand modifiable behavioral risk factors associated with health status and to identify target behaviors for future intervention efforts.

Methods: Cancer survivors in central Pennsylvania were recruited to the Partnering to Prevent and Control Cancer (PPCC) study via an academic-community partnership comprised of churches, cancer support groups, and other community organizations (e.g., YMCA, community centers). Participants completed a cross-sectional survey assessing healthy lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity, sitting time, fruit and vegetable intake, fat intake, and alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), self-rated health status, and sociodemographic characteristics. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore associations between adherence to health behavior guidelines and health status (poor/fair or good/excellent).

Results: Participants were in their mid-60s (M age=64.4±12.2 years) and were mostly women (60.7%), college graduates (50.5%), and reported an annual household income ≥$80,000 USD. Most were breast (22.8%) or prostate (20.5%) cancer survivors and had completed cancer treatment (90.3%) but were less than 5 years post-treatment (90.8%). Adherence to health behavior guidelines was highest for alcohol intake (91.3% reported low or no alcohol intake) and lowest for fruit and vegetable intake (10.5% reported <5 servings/day). Roughly 40% of cancer survivors reported engaging in ≥150 minutes/day of moderate-or-greater intensity physical activity, and 29.6% were classified as healthy weight (BMI <25 kg/m²). Cancer survivors who met physical activity guidelines were more likely to self-report their health as good/excellent (OR=18.1, 95% CI: 4.1-80.3), and those who were classified as obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) were less likely to report their health as good/excellent (OR=0.2, 95% CI: 0.1-0.8).

Conclusions: Adherence to multiple lifestyle behavior guidelines is low among rural cancer survivors.   Rural cancer survivors who meet physical activity and healthy weight recommendations are more likely to report better health compared to those who do not adhere to guidelines for cancer survivors.

Purpose: To determine baseline characteristics of a group of Samoan/Tongans in the U.S. at risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and identify specific barriers and cultural factors to addressing a culturally tailored Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) for this population.

Methods: Paper-pencil surveys (N=47) assessing sociodemographics, acculturation, food insecurity, health (e.g., BMI, diagnosed conditions), and psychosocial variables (e.g., self-efficacy) were collected during pilot sessions of the DPP. Survey respondents also participated in focus groups (N=4) to gather in-depth feedback on attitudes towards curriculum, opportunities for tailoring, and barriers to achieving healthy weight.

Results: Participants were on average 42 years old, just over half female (57%), and identified as Samoan (65%) or Tongan (35%). Respondents reported being diagnosed with diabetes (43%), having high blood pressure (28%), and 98% had a BMI that was overweight/obese. The average household size was 8 individuals and 45% reported food insecurity. Under half of respondents reported being born in the U.S., and while majority reported speaking some English at home (72%), some reported poor/fair English proficiency (28%). Psychosocial findings were in the expected directions; internal locus of control and higher self-efficacy were related to lower BMI and food security (p’s<.001). Those with higher English skill levels were more likely to be food secure (p<.001) and have lower BMIs (p<.001). Focus group results revealed that the Samoan/Tongan communities identify as an invisible minority group which a lack of culturally relevant programs to address rising concerns of obesity and chronic disease. Specific barriers identified included: traditional foods (e.g., recipe modifications); stress and lack of sleep (e.g., relying on “comfort” foods); body image (e.g., culture that values larger body size); lack of nutrition knowledge (e.g., especially with traditional foods).

Conclusions: This pilot is a first step towards developing culturally specific interventions for an often overlooked Samoan/Tongan population, which has a “ready-made” setting to conduct interventions (i.e., church-based). Findings help to identify the relevant historical, political, and structural contexts of this population needed for tailoring health behavior change programming.