Church Leaders' Health Behaviors and Program Implementation in the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition Program.

Abstract

Objectives: Church leaders are important to the success of faith-based health promotion interventions through the role modeling of health behaviors. However, clergy may be at a higher risk of chronic disease than their congregants and their health is understudied. This study examined church leaders' health-related behaviors, differences in health behaviors by sociodemographic characteristics, and associations between health behaviors and church-level implementation of an ecological intervention.

Methods: Pastors (n=93) and church coordinators (n=92) reported body mass index (BMI), self-rated health, fruit and vegetable consumption (F&V), and physical activity (PA) at baseline and 12 months post-training in the intervention. Church coordinators reported program implementation for their church. Sociodemographic differences and associations between changes in health behaviors and program implementation were tested with regression models. Changes in health-related variables were examined using paired t-tests and McNemar's test.

Results: Pastors (41% women, 42% Black/African American) had a mean BMI of 30 kg/m2; 45% met F&V guidelines and 24% met PA guidelines. Black/African American pastors were less likely to meet F&V guidelines and had lower self-rated health than their counterparts. Pastor PA improved over time, but pastor health behaviors were not associated with program implementation. Church coordinators' (95% women, 39% Black/African American) mean BMI was 28 kg/m2; 27% met F&V guidelines and 63% met PA guidelines. Black/African American church coordinators had higher BMIs and lower self-rated health than their counterparts. Church coordinator F&V intake improved over time; self-rated health was positively associated with PA program implementation.

Conclusions: This study underscores the need for preventive interventions for church leaders.