Examining the Role Dietary Habits Play with Food Access, Stress, and Chronic Conditions Among African-Americans

Abstract

African-Americans experience higher rates of chronic conditions, are more likely to live in low food access communities and not adhere to dietary recommendations. Limited research analyzes African-American adults’ diet and food access by specific neighborhood. This thesis, a secondary data analysis, used Health Advocates In-Reach and Research(HAIR) data, a study evaluating family health history intervention to promote cancer screening. Participants(n=164) were recruited from barbershops/salons in low-income neighborhoods in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Baseline data was used to assess diet, food access, and chronic conditions with demographics, stress, and lifestyle behaviors. Over half of participants were female(54.3%), obese(51.8%), and lived in low-income and low access neighborhoods(57.3%). Bivariate analysis found associations between body mass index with income and meals away from home(p0.05). Multivariate analysis found those who earned less income and consumed more meals away from home were less likely to be overweight/obese(p0.05). This information can inform behavioral and systems-based interventions.