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Lemacks JL, Abbott LS, Navarro C, McCoy S, Greer T, Aras S, Madson MB, Reese-Smith J, Lawrick C, Gipson J, Buck BK, Johnson M. Passive recruitment reach of a lifestyle management program to address obesity in the deep south during the COVID-19 pandemic. AIMS Public Health 2023; 10:116-128. [PMID: 37063359 PMCID: PMC10091136 DOI: 10.3934/publichealth.2023010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a significant public health concern, especially in the Deep South and in Mississippi where prevalence is among the worst in the nation paired, with other poor health outcomes and socioeconomic conditions. Lifestyle management programs that address modifiable risk factors, such as nutrition and physical activity, can be effective mitigation strategies to halt weight accumulation patterns and ameliorate metabolic risk factors for some populations. However, there is limited evidence regarding the implementation of effective practice models to address obesity risk in underserved and underrepresented populations, such as African Americans, and people in the stage of earlier adulthood. Furthermore, there is growing evidence supporting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle management programs that should be considered in these populations. The purpose of this manuscript was to describe the development and telehealth implementation of a weight management program during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a preliminary examination of recruitment strategies and baseline characteristics for enrolled participants. Passive recruitment (social media, web, email, and other media advertisements) resulted in 157 screening initiations, and 79 of those participants met the study inclusion criteria. Further, of the 79 eligible participants, 38 completed all study enrollment requirements and presented with metabolic abnormalities. The study findings add to the emerging body of evidence for how the pandemic may have impacted lifestyle management programs and is representative of an understudied and underrepresented population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Lemacks
- Telenutrition Center, Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- School of Health Professions, College of Nursing and Health Professions, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
| | - Laurie S Abbott
- College of Nursing, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - Cali Navarro
- Telenutrition Center, Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- School of Health Professions, College of Nursing and Health Professions, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
| | - Stephanie McCoy
- School of Kinesiology and Nutrition, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
| | - Tammy Greer
- Telenutrition Center, Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- School of Psychology, Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
| | - Sermin Aras
- Telenutrition Center, Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- School of Health Professions, College of Nursing and Health Professions, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
| | - Michael B Madson
- School of Psychology, Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
| | - Jacqueline Reese-Smith
- Telenutrition Center, Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
| | - Chelsey Lawrick
- School of Health Professions, College of Nursing and Health Professions, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- School of Kinesiology and Nutrition, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
| | - June Gipson
- My Brother's Keeper, Inc., Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, Jackson, Mississippi
| | - Byron K Buck
- Telenutrition Center, Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- My Brother's Keeper, Inc., Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, Jackson, Mississippi
| | - Marcus Johnson
- Telenutrition Center, Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- My Brother's Keeper, Inc., Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, Jackson, Mississippi
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Ramsey MW, Reese-Smith J, Lemacks JL, Madson MB, Greer T, Bradford L, Aras S, Gipson JA, McLin DB. Key Focus Group Themes to Inform Weight Management Interventions in Deep South African Americans. JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 54:647-659. [PMID: 35568686 PMCID: PMC9351227 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To understand African Americans' perceptions, barriers, and facilitators to recruitment, enrollment, adoption, maintenance, and retention in a nutrition and physical activity promotion program. DESIGN Four focus groups were conducted. SETTING Two community settings located in Jackson and Hattiesburg, Mississippi. PARTICIPANTS Participants (n = 28) were aged 18-50 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Barriers and facilitators associated with healthy eating, physical activity, achieving a healthy weight, and participation in a health behavior change program. ANALYSIS A conventional thematic content analysis approach includes data familiarization, initial code generation, initial theme generation, themes review, and team review for finalization of themes. RESULTS Major themes related to health behaviors and participation in a behavior change program were identified by participants, including time constraints, costs, social support, consistency and self-efficacy, motivation for longevity and disease prevention, physical appearance, fear of injury/pain, social norms/stigma associated with outdoor physical activity, body criticism from family members, and having empathic and validating program staff support. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Several social determinants of health were identified as essential considerations for promoting healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors among African American adult Mississippians. Cultural and spiritual implications were also identified. Study insights inform policy approaches for designing culturally appropriate health behavior change programs in the Deep South.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Ramsey
- Mississippi INBRE Telenutrition Center, Hattiesburg, MS; Department of Psychology, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS.
| | - Jacqueline Reese-Smith
- Mississippi INBRE Telenutrition Center, Hattiesburg, MS; Houston Fire Department-Firefighter Support Network, Houston, TX
| | - Jennifer L Lemacks
- Mississippi INBRE Telenutrition Center, Hattiesburg, MS; University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS; Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, Hattiesburg, MS
| | - Michael B Madson
- Mississippi INBRE Telenutrition Center, Hattiesburg, MS; University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
| | - Tammy Greer
- Mississippi INBRE Telenutrition Center, Hattiesburg, MS; University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
| | | | - Sermin Aras
- University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
| | - June A Gipson
- Mississippi INBRE Community Engagement and Training Core, Hattiesburg, MS
| | - Dawn B McLin
- Department of Psychology, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS
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Abbott L, Lemacks J, Greer T. Development and Evaluation of a Measure for Social Support Provided by Friends during Lifestyle Management Programs. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:901. [PMID: 35628038 PMCID: PMC9140622 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10050901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a public health crisis that contributes to chronic disease prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. Nutrition and physical activity are risk factors for many chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease, the leading causes of death in the United States. Lifestyle management programs to address obesity and potential sequelae such as chronic conditions have shown efficacy, with social support an important factor in interventions. Instruments that assess social support specifically provided by friends are lacking but could be important predictors of program success. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the 10-item Social Support to Eat Better and Move More instrument that was developed and designed to measure support from friends that influence dietary and physical activity behaviors during lifestyle management programs. Data were collected during a cross-sectional study using purposive sampling strategies among adult residents of two southern states. Statistical analysis was conducted to examine latent factors, internal consistency, and convergent and predictive validity. These preliminary results indicated that the Social Support to Eat Better and Move More instrument had excellent internal consistency for the overall measure (α = 0.96) as well as for informational support (α = 0.97), emotional support (α = 0.96), and encouragement (α = 0.97). The tool related well to another general social support measure as well as to diet, physical activity, and health-related variables, and it can be a useful measure in lifestyle management studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie Abbott
- College of Nursing, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Jennifer Lemacks
- College of Nursing and Health Professions, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA;
| | - Tammy Greer
- School of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 339406, USA;
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