Fit with Faith: An Exploratory Study Examining a Behavior Change Intervention for African-American Clergy and Their Spouses
Abstract
Fit with Faith is a 10-week, diet, physical activity, and stress reduction intervention for African-American clergy and spouses, which included: meetings, phone calls, a behavior tracking app. Survey, 24-h recall, accelerometer, anthropometric, and blood pressure data were collected. Wilcoxon signed ranked tests were used for analyses. In this one-arm study, clergy and spouses (n = 20) attended most meetings and calls, but only half posted daily goals or tracked behaviors using the app. Spouses’ body mass index (BMI) decreased and physical activity self-regulation cognitive scores increased pre-post intervention. Statistically significant changes in BMI, systolic blood pressure, and self-regulations scores also were seen among younger (< 51 years) participants (n = 8). As positive changes were seen mostly among women and younger participants, more research is needed on how to engage all clergy in behavior change programs.
Publication Title
Journal of Religion and Health
Recommended Citation
Harmon, B., West, N., Webb, B., Johnson, B., & Smith, S. (2023). Fit with Faith: An Exploratory Study Examining a Behavior Change Intervention for African-American Clergy and Their Spouses. Journal of Religion and Health, 62 (4), 2627-2637. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01820-9
