Impact of a Culturally Sensitive Health Self-Empowerment Workshop Series on Health Behaviors/Lifestyles, Body Mass Index, and Blood Pressure of Culturally Diverse Overweight/Obese Adults

Carolyn M. Tucker, Ashley Butler, Lillian B. Kaye, Sarah E.M. Nolan, Delphia J. Flenar, Michael Marsiske, Marie Bragg, Eddie Hoover, Katherine Daly

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective. To examine the impact of the health self-empowerment theory-based, culturally sensitive Health Self-Empowerment (HSE) Workshop Series to Modify and Prevent Obesity on levels of health promoting (health-smart) behaviors, motivators of and barriers to these behaviors, health promoting lifestyle variables, and health status indicators (body mass index [BMI] and blood pressure) among a culturally diverse sample of overweight/obese adults from mostly low-income households. Design. A total of 153 overweight/obese adults participated in an immediate treatment (IT) group (n = 100) or a waitlist control (WC) group (n = 53). Results. Post-intervention, the IT group compared with the WC group reported (a) significantly higher engagement in physical activity and healthy eating; (b) significantly less intake of calories, total fat, trans fat, saturated fat, sugar, and added sugar; (c) significantly higher motivators for engaging in 2 of 4 specific health-smart behaviors; (d) significantly lower barriers to engaging in 3 of 4 specific health-smart behaviors; and (e) significantly lower BMI and systolic blood pressure. Conclusion. The HSE Workshop Series may be an effective intervention for treating and preventing obesity among diverse low-income adults-individuals who often perceive/experience limited power over their health. Health care providers, particularly physicians, have important health empowerment roles in this intervention.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)122-132
Number of pages11
JournalAmerican Journal of Lifestyle Medicine
Volume8
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2014

Keywords

  • empowerment
  • health promotion
  • low-income households
  • minority
  • obesity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Health Policy
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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