Faithfully Fit: Promoting Healthy Eating and Living in African American Churches
Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET

Seminar Summary

This cyber-seminar will explore the researcher and practitioner perspective of Body & Soul: A Celebration of Healthy Eating and Living, an evidence-based intervention that promotes healthy eating and physical activity through African American churches. During this interactive session presenters will offer their perspective on the research and testing that went into developing Body & Soul, along with the adaptation and implementation of the program at the community level.

The Washington University Cancer Prevention & Control Research Network (CPCRN) will demonstrate how they moved the Body & Soul program from "research to reality" though the development of Faith Communities Joined for Health (FCJH), a consortium designed to build capacity, leverage resources, and provide technical assistance. Through the implementation of the program, the FCJH seeks to reduce cancer disparities affecting African Americans in St. Louis by empowering churches to encourage healthy lifestyle habits among its members and communities.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the research and the development of the Body & Soul program
• Understand the processes for building partnerships and accessing church capacity to implement Body & Soul
• Discuss lessons learned, successes, and ongoing challenges

Featured Presenters

Marlyn Allicock, Ph.D, M.P.H.
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Nutrition
Gillings School of Global Public Health and School of Medicine
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Debbie Pfeiffer, M.A.
Project Director
Cancer Prevention & Control Research Network (CPCRN)
Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis

Del Doss-Hemsley, M.A., D.L.
Director of Health Ministries
Lane Tabernacle CME Church, St. Louis