New program to address hypertension and obesity concerns among local African-American families
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Compared to all other racial and gender groups in the United States, African-American women are at higher risk of developing hypertension and obesity. The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, the philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF), is partnering with the University of Florida to reduce this health disparity.
A $100,000 grant from The Blue Foundation is enabling the University of Florida’s Department of Psychology to spearhead a church-based, health empowerment program aimed at increasing and sustaining healthy cooking, vegetable consumption and other health-smart behaviors. As a result, the program will decrease blood pressure and BMI among pre-hypertensive, hypertensive, and/or overweight/obese African-American women and their families.
“Food preferences and traditional food preparation practices may contribute to the disproportionately high number of African-Americans who are overweight or obese and/or have pre-hypertension or hypertension,” said Dr. Carolyn Tucker, distinguished alumni professor and term professor in health disparities, UF Departments of Psychology and Community Health and Family Medicine. “Although African-Americans understand the importance of a healthy diet and health-smart behaviors such as exercising, it’s difficult to translate that knowledge into their everyday lifestyles.”
To execute the program, selected church members and pastors from 10 African-American churches in Gainesville, Fla., will be trained as health promotion coaches to encourage the buying and eating of healthy vegetables, healthy cooking practices and active lifestyles among 120 targeted African-American women and later among their congregations in general.
The participating women will be given funds to purchase vegetables and seasonings to be used for a no-salt, low-fat vegetable cook-off between local churches. Following the cook-off, 40 of the women will be given funds to buy vegetables for three months. This will determine if an increased income plays a role in the frequency of vegetable consumption among families.
The grant to the University of Florida is part of The Blue Foundation’s four-year initiative called Embrace a Healthy Florida. The statewide initiative supports community-based programs that promote change in families and parenting, childcare centers and schools, neighborhood recreation opportunities and other influences on the accessibility of healthy food and physical activity.
“Parents can greatly influence a child’s lifestyle and eating habits,” said Susan Towler, executive director, The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida. “This program’s efforts to change the way caregivers prepare food is key to reducing or preventing a child’s chance of becoming overweight or obese now and later in life.”
The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida is a nonprofit, private foundation established by BCBSF in 2001. Through strategic philanthropy, The Blue Foundation supports community-based solutions that address the health care needs of Floridians, particularly the uninsured and underserved.
The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida is a separate, philanthropic affiliate of BCBSF incorporated in the state of Florida. The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, and its parent, BCBSF, are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information on The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, please visit its Web site at www.bluefoundationfl.com.