Impacts of Faith-Based Lifestyle Interventions on Congregational-Level Nutrition and Physical Activity Environment and Policies

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Hispanics are disproportionally affected by obesity, cancer, and other obesity-related chronic diseases. Building a Healthy Temple (BHT) was a multi-component, faith-based lifestyle intervention implemented in 27 low-income, predominately-Hispanic congregations in San Antonio, TX between 2012 and 2017. One aim of BHT was to assess program effectiveness at improving health-conducive church environment/policy and sustainability of these improvements at follow-up. Methods A key macro-level program component of BHT was the formation of a Health Ministry Committee to initiate church-wide health-conducive environment/policy changes. The Congregational Health Index (CHI) was used to assess church nutrition (17 items) and physical activity (PA, 5 items) environment/policy at baseline, end of program, and follow-up (6 months or more post-intervention). Data were expressed as % of the maximum scores. Friedman test and post hoc analysis were performed with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and significance of pairwise comparisons, adjusted with Bonferroni correction. Results Eighteen churches completed all 3 CHI assessments. Percentage of total nutrition and PA environment/policy scores for baseline, end of program, and follow-up were 38% (35–45), 64% (53–75), and 69% (64–77), respectively. Post hoc analysis shows significant improvements in nutrition and PA environment/policy scores at end of program (Z = –3.73, P < 0.001) and follow-up (Z = –3.73, P < 0.001) as compared to baseline, as well as significantly higher scores at follow-up compared to end of program (Z = –3.18, P = 0.001). Conclusions Study findings reveal the importance of utilizing congregation-wide macro-level interventions to create health-conducive enviroment/policy changes to facilitate and sustain healthy lifestyle changes in predominately-Hispanic faith community settings. Funding Sources Baptist Health Foundation San Antonio & Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas.