***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: African Americans , especially women , have low fruit and vegetable consumption , which is related to higher rates of obesity , morbidity , and mortality in comparison to whites . Community-based approaches are recommended to address this problem , including beauty salons , which are conducive environments for health information dissemination . The purpose of this pilot study , conducted in 2007 , was to determine the effectiveness of a 6-week beauty salon-based health intervention , Steps for a New You , in improving diet , physical activity , and water consumption behaviors in African-American women using a quasiexperimental design . A r and om sample of 20 African-American women was selected from a list of regular clients at two beauty salons ( n=10 each for treatment and comparison salons ) located in a Southern rural community . The intervention included scripted motivational sessions between the cosmetologist and clients , information packets , and a starter kit of sample items . Data were collected using pre- and posttest question naires . The results showed that mean intake of fruit and vegetables was significantly higher at posttest for the treatment group but not for the comparison group . These findings suggest that the intervention may have had a positive effect on fruit and vegetable consumption by treatment group participants . However , further work is needed to refine the methodology , especially strengthening the intervention to increase physical activity and water consumption OBJECTIVE This r and omized controlled trial tested a tailored , telephone-based physical activity coaching intervention for a predominantly African American group of women with severe obesity and mobility disability . METHODS We recruited 92 clinic patients from the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center referred by their physicians during 2004 - 2007 and r and omized participants to one of three groups -- awareness(informational brochure , no coaching ) , lower support ( phone coaching only ) and higher support ( phone coaching plus monthly exercise support group)--to determine the efficacy of a tailored coaching intervention on key health outcomes , which included body weight and body mass index , blood pressure , cholesterol , physical activity ( barriers and self-reported activity ) , movement and mobility , general health , and social support . RESULTS The higher support group had the greatest reduction in Body Mass Index ( BMI ) ( 7.4 % ) compared with a 0.2 % and 1.6 % increase in BMI for the lower support and awareness groups , respectively ( pb.01 ) . Both the higher and lower support groups had a greater increase in physical activity scores ( 39 % and 30 % , respectively)compared with a decline of 13 % in the awareness group ( pb.05 ) . CONCLUSION Providing phone-based coaching and monthly in-person exercise support group sessions appear to be an effective approach for reducing body weight and increasing physical activity among severely obese , disabled adults residing in difficult social environments Summary This study evaluated body composition outcomes following a 3-month exercise program for overweight/obese Black women .  BMI decreased over the 3-month study despite an observed increase in body fat . Enhancements in bone marrow density and muscle density were also observed . Results show promising yet hypothesis-generating findings to explore in future research . Introduction Few studies have evaluated the relationship between aerobic physical activity ( PA ) and body composition among young adult overweight/obese African American ( AA ) women . Purpose The current study evaluated the effect of a 3-month moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity intervention for overweight and obese young adult women on bone , lean , and fat mass . Methods Participants ( n = 15 ) were a r and omly selected subset of AA female college students ( M age = 21.7 years ; M BMI = 33.3 ) enrolled in a larger PA promotion pilot study ( n = 31 ) . Study protocol required participants to engage in four 30–60-min moderate-intensity aerobic PA sessions each week . Whole body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ( DXA ) , and peripheral quantitative computed tomography ( pQCT ) was used to assess additional quantitative and qualitative assessment of the radius . Results BMI decreased over the duration of the study ( P = .034 ) , reflected by a marginal decrease in body weight ( P = .057 ) . However , unexpectedly , increases in adipose tissue measures were observed , including total body fat ( P = .041 ) , percent body fat ( P = .044 ) , trunk fat ( P = .031 ) , and percent trunk fat ( P = .041 ) . No changes in DXA-measured bone outcomes were observed ( i.e. , bone mineral density , P = .069 ; bone mineral content , P = .211 ) . Results from the pQCT assessment showed that bone marrow density increased ( P = .011 ) , but cortical density remained stable ( P = .211 ) . A marginally significant increase in muscle density ( P = .053 ) and no changes in muscle area ( P = .776 ) were observed . Conclusions A 3-month moderate-intensity PA program was associated with several promising findings , including increased bone marrow and stabilization of body weight . However , the increase in adipose tissue and trend for decreased bone mineral density were unexpected and indicate the need for future studies with larger sample s to further explore these outcomes OBJECTIVES We evaluated a theory-based lifestyle intervention targeting physical activity and dietary fat intake among African American women at high risk for cardiovascular disease . METHODS The Heart Healthy and Ethnically Relevant Lifestyle trial ( 2005 - 2008 ) r and omly assigned 266 low-income African American women aged 35 years and older who were patients of South Carolina community health care centers into comprehensive or st and ard care interventions . Comprehensive participants received st and ard care ( stage-matched provider counseling and assisted goal setting ) plus 12 months of telephone counseling and tailored newsletters . Primary outcomes were 6- and 12-month self-reported physical activity and dietary fat intake . RESULTS Comprehensive participants were more likely than were st and ard care participants to decrease total physical activity ( odds ratio [ OR ] = 3.13 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] = 1.18 , 8.25 ) and increase leisure-time physical activity ( OR = 3.82 ; 95 % CI = 1.41 , 10.3 ) at 6 months ( no 12-month differences ) . Mean reductions in Dietary Risk Assessment score occurred in both groups but were greater among comprehensive participants than among st and ard care participants ( 6 months , -8.50 vs -5.34 ; 12 months , -7.16 vs -3.37 ; P < .001 ) . CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive intervention improved women 's leisure-time physical activity and dietary fat intake , highlighting a replicable model to help primary care providers implement lifestyle counseling OBJECTIVES To evaluate a faith-based intervention ( Sisters in Motion ) intended to increase walking in older , sedentary African-American women . DESIGN R and omized controlled trial using within-church r and omization . SETTING Three Los Angeles churches . PARTICIPANTS Sixty-two African-American women aged 60 and older who reported being active less than 30 minutes three times per week and walked less than 35,000 steps per week as measured using a baseline pedometer reading . INTERVENTION Intervention participants received a multicomponent curriculum including scripture readings , prayer , goal - setting , a community re source guide , and walking competitions . Intervention and control participants both participated in physical activity sessions . MEASUREMENTS The primary outcome was change in weekly steps walked as measured using the pedometer . Secondary outcomes included change in systolic blood pressure ( SBP ) . Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 6 months after the intervention . RESULTS Eighty-five percent of participants attended at least six of eight sessions . Intervention participants averaged 12,727 steps per week at baseline , compared with 13,089 steps in controls . Mean baseline SBP was 156 mmHg for intervention participants and 147 mmHg for controls ( P=.10 ) . At 6 months , intervention participants had increased their weekly steps by 9,883 on average , compared with an increase of 2,426 for controls ( P=.02 ) ; SBP decreased on average by 12.5 mmHg in intervention participants and only 1.5 mmHg in controls ( P=.007 ) . CONCLUSION The Sisters in Motion intervention led to an increase in walking and a decrease in SBP at 6 months . This is the first r and omized controlled trial of a faith-based physical activity program to increase physical activity in older African-American women and represents an attractive approach to stimulate lifestyle change in this population OBJECTIVE We examined the efficacy of a community-based , culturally relevant intervention to promote healthy eating and physical activity among African American ( AA ) women between the ages of 45 - 65 years , residing in rural Alabama . METHODS We conducted a group r and omized controlled trial with counties as the unit of r and omization that evaluated two interventions based on health priorities identified by the community : ( 1 ) promotion of healthy eating and physical activity ; and ( 2 ) promotion of breast and cervical cancer screening . A total of 6 counties with 565 participants were enrolled in the study between November 2009 and October 2011 . RESULTS The overall retention rate at 24-month follow-up was 54.7 % . Higher retention rate was observed in the " healthy lifestyle " arm ( 63.1 % ) as compared to the " screening " arm ( 45.3 % ) . Participants in the " healthy lifestyle " arm showed significant positive changes compared to the " screening " arm at 12-month follow-up with regard to decrease in fried food consumption and an increase in both fruit/vegetable intake and physical activity . At 24-month follow-up , these positive changes were maintained with healthy eating behaviors , but not engagement in physical activity . CONCLUSIONS A culturally relevant intervention , developed in collaboration with the target audience , can improve ( and maintain ) healthy eating among AA women living in rural areas Physical  activity ( PA )  is low among African American women despite awareness of its positive impact on health . Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills for a Better Life ( L.A.D.I.E.S. ) compares three strategies for increasing PA among African American women using a cluster r and omized , controlled trial . Underactive adult women from 30 churches ( n=15 participants /church ) were recruited . Churches were r and omized to a faith-based intervention , a non-faith based intervention , or an information only control group . Intervention groups will meet 25 times in group sessions with other women from their church over a 10-month period . Control group participants will receive st and ard educational material promoting PA . All participants will be followed for an additional 12 months to assess PA maintenance . Data will be collected at baseline , 10 , and 22 months . The primary outcome is PA ( steps/day , daily moderate-to-vigorous PA ) . We expect treatment effects indicating that assignment to either of the active interventions is associated with greater magnitude of change in PA compared to the control group . In exploratory analyses , we will test whether changes in the faith-based intervention group are greater than changes in the non-faith-based intervention group . L.A.D.I.E.S. focuses on a significant issue-increasing  PA levels-in a segment of the population most in need of successful strategies for improving health . If successful , L.A.D.I.E.S. will advance the field by providing an approach that is successful for initiating and sustaining change in physical activity , which has been shown to be a primary risk factor for a variety of health outcomes , using churches as the point of delivery Aim : To address high rates of inactivity and related chronic diseases among African – American women . Material s & methods : Eleven focus groups on physical activity barriers for African – American women in the deep south ( USA ) were conducted ( n = 56 ) . Feedback guided an intervention development process . The result ing Home-Based Individually Tailored Physical Activity Print intervention was vetted with the target population in a 1-month , single arm , pre – post test demonstration trial ( n = 10 ) . Results : Retention was high ( 90 % ) . Intent-to-treat analyses indicated increases in motivational readiness for physical activity ( 70 % of sample ) and physical activity ( 7-day Physical Activity Recall ) from baseline ( mean : 89.5 min/week , st and ard deviation : 61.17 ) to 1 month ( mean : 155 min/week , st and ard deviation : 100.86 ) . Small improvements in fitness ( 6-Min Walk Test ) , weight and psychosocial process measures were also found . Conclusion : Preliminary findings show promise and call for future r and omized controlled trials with larger sample s to determine efficacy . Such low-cost , high-reach approaches to promoting physical activity have great potential for addressing health disparities and benefiting public health BACKGROUND African American women have more symptoms of depressed mood than white women . Adverse neighborhood conditions may contribute to these symptoms . Although reductions in depressive symptoms with physical activity have been demonstrated in white adults , little research has examined the mental health benefits of physical activity in African American women . Further , it is unknown whether physical activity can offset the effects of living in disadvantaged neighborhoods on depressive symptoms . The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among neighborhood characteristics , adherence to a physical activity intervention , and change over time in depressive symptoms in midlife African American women . METHODS Two hundred seventy-eight women participated in a home-based , 24-week moderate-intensity walking intervention . Either a minimal treatment ( MT ) or enhanced treatment ( ET ) version of the intervention was r and omly assigned to one of the two community health centers .  Walking adherence was measured as the percentage of prescribed walks completed . Objective and perceived measures of neighborhood deterior 
    Output:
    
It was found that walking coupled with healthy food choices were salient strategies in the interventions .
Studies using social support along with healthy diet were found to be more efficacious in fostering physical activity among African American women .
Conclusion : Walking , social support and a healthy diet were found to be significant strategies promoting physical activity in African American women .