UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Objective: One setting within the Hispanic community that has been suggested as a place for energy balance interventions is Catholic Church. Within this setting it is believed that the evidence-base and evidence-based social support intervention approaches can be used to create a church based energy balance intervention. The main objective was to qualitatively assess energy balance consumers (Hispanic women over 40 years of age) and intermediaries of energy balance services (representatives from churches, food retailers and local parks and recreation).

Methods: This study is conducting formative research to assess knowledge, attitudes and behaviors about nutrition and exercise (i.e. energy balance) among low income, Hispanic women over 40 years of age in Houston, Texas. From Houston's “East End” barrios: 1) 144 Hispanic women are being recruited to attend focus groups to discuss energy balance and to gauge reaction to effective intervention approaches for improving healthy eating and physical activity, and 2) key informant interviews are being conducted (with representatives from several Catholic Churches, grocery distributors, mass media and other relevant community representatives in the Houston East End area) to discuss the potential for such a church based energy balance intervention in this community.

Results: Qualitative data will be reported, along with recommendations for the design, implementation and evaluation of a culturally appropriate, evidence-based intervention conducted through churches to promote energy balance among Hispanic women.