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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #281995
Title: Diet quality and psychosocial mediators in rural African Americans

Author
item Thomson, Jessica
item Tussing Humphreys, Lisa

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/3/2012
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: PURPOSE: Obesity and its comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes, are largely preventable or modifiable through behavioral factors, such as dietary intake. We examined associations among diet quality, dietary intake, and psychosocial mediators of behavioral change for fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). METHODS: Data are from 403 participants enrolled in a six-month, church-based, diet and physical activity intervention conducted in a rural, southern, African American population. Associations among changes in diet quality (as measured by the Healthy Eating Index-2005), dietary intake (servings), and psychosocial mediators (decisional balance, self-efficacy, and social support) were assessed using bivariate tests and multivariable linear regression analysis which controlled for demographic and baseline covariates. RESULTS: Significant correlations between changes in psychosocial mediators, particularly self-efficacy, and changes in dietary intake (six associations; 0.13 = r = 0.19; P < .04) were more apparent than those with changes in diet quality (three associations; 0.14 = r = 0.22; P < .04). For diet quality, change in the social support and decisional balance scales were significant positive predictors of change in the total vegetable and solid fats, alcoholic beverages, and added sugars component scores, respectively. For dietary intake, change in the social support, decisional balance, and self-efficacy scales were significant positive predictors of change in total vegetables, whole grains, and SSB intakes, respectively. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that several psychosocial constructs hypothesized to mediate behavioral change may be important predictors for diet quality and dietary intake changes in this population of rural, southern, African American adults. GRANT SUPPORT: Research supported by US DHHS HRSA Grant # 6 U1FRH07411and USDA ARS Project 6401-53000-001-00D.