Healthy Eating and Harambee: Curriculum Development for a Culturally-Centered Bio-Medically Oriented Nutrition Education Program to Reach African American Women of Childbearing Age

dc.contributor.authorKannan, Srimathi
dc.contributor.authorSparks, Arlene V.
dc.contributor.authorWebster, J. DeWitt
dc.contributor.authorKrishnakumar, Ambika
dc.contributor.authorLumeng, Julie
dc.date.accessioned2019-08-14T15:04:23Z
dc.date.available2019-08-14T15:04:23Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.description.abstractThe purpose was to develop, implement and evaluate a peer-led nutrition curriculum Healthy Eating and Harambee that addresses established objectives of maternal and infant health and to shift the stage for African American women of childbearing age in Genesee County toward healthier dietary patterns using a socio-cultural and biomedical orientation. The PEN-3 model, which frames culture in the context of health promotion interventions, was integrated with the Transtheoretical Model to guide this 13-week pre-test/post-test curriculum. Materials developed included soul food plate visuals, a micronutrient availability worksheet, a fruit stand, and gardening kits. Learning activities included affirmations, stories, case-scenarios, point-of-purchase product recognition, church health teams, and community health fairs. We investigated health-promoting dietary behaviors (consumption of more fruits and vegetables (F&V), serving more F&V to their families, and moderating dietary sodium and fat intakes), and biomedical behaviors (self-monitoring blood pressure and exercising) across five stages of change. Session attendance and program satisfaction were assessed. N = 102 women participated (mean age = 27.5 years). A majority (77%) reported adopting at least one healthy eating behavior (moderating sodium, serving more F&V to their families), 23% adopted at least two such behaviors (reading food labels for sodium; using culinary herbs/spices; serving more F&V to their families), and 45% adopted both dietary (moderating sodium; eating more fruits) and biomedical behaviors. Participants and facilitators favorably evaluated the curriculum and suggested improvements. A multi-conceptual approach coupled with cultural and biomedical tailoring has potential to promote young African American women’s movement to more advanced stages of change and improve self-efficacy for fruit and vegetable intake, dietary sodium moderation, and self-monitoring blood pressure and physical activity.
dc.description.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10995-009-0507-9
dc.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.13016/vlyd-inaw
dc.identifier.citationKannan, Srimathi and Sparks, Arlene V. and Webster, J. DeWitt and Krishnakumar, Ambika and Lumeng, Julie (2010) Healthy Eating and Harambee: Curriculum Development for a Culturally-Centered Bio-Medically Oriented Nutrition Education Program to Reach African American Women of Childbearing Age. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 14 (4). pp. 535-547.
dc.identifier.issn1092-7875
dc.identifier.otherEprint ID 3072
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/23688
dc.subjectNutrition
dc.subjectPrenatal & Pediatric Health
dc.subjectinterventions
dc.subjectAfrican Americans
dc.subjectStages of change
dc.subjectNutrition education materials
dc.subjectPEN-3
dc.subjectNutrition curriculum
dc.subjectWomen of childbearing age
dc.titleHealthy Eating and Harambee: Curriculum Development for a Culturally-Centered Bio-Medically Oriented Nutrition Education Program to Reach African American Women of Childbearing Age
dc.typeArticle

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