Examining change in social support and fruit and vegetable consumption in African American adults.

OBJECTIVE: To examine (a) inter-individual variation in African Americans' fruit and vegetable social support, behavior, and consumption trajectories by estimating latent growth curves (LGCs) and (b) the associations between these trajectories over time. DESIGN: As part of a larger intervention study, data were collected from mid-life and older African Americans yearly for three years. The study incorporated a quasi-experimental design with random selection of participants, stratifying for age and gender. SETTING: Six churches in North Florida. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and thirty one (73% women; median age range of 57-63) older African Americans. MEASUREMENTS: A structured questionnaire elicited personal data as well as information on dietary social support, eating-related behaviors, and fruit and vegetable dietary intake. RESULTS: Age was positively associated with initial social support but negatively associated with the rate of change in social support. More important, the rate of change in dietary social support predicted eating-related behavior trajectories, which influenced the rate of change in fruit and vegetable consumption over time after controlling for the intervention. CONCLUSION: These findings illustrate the mediating role of eating-related behaviors and the inter-locking nature of social support, behavior and consumption trajectories. This research has implications for future research as well as community interventions and programs.

Life dissatisfaction and eating behaviors among older African Americans: the protective role of social support.

OBJECTIVES: To examine (a) the influences of life dissatisfaction and dietary social support on eating behaviors (a high-fat diet and fruit/vegetable consumption) of older African Americans and (b) the moderating role of perceived dietary social support on the association between their life dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating behaviors. DESIGN: Baseline data from a larger intervention study of mid-life and older African Americans. The study incorporated a quasi-experimental design with random selection of participants, stratifying for age and gender. SETTING: Six churches in North Florida. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and seventy-eight (132 females and 46 males with a median age of 60) older African Americans. MEASUREMENTS: A structured questionnaire elicited personal data as well as information on eating behaviors, life dissatisfaction, and perceived dietary social support. RESULTS: Older African Americans with more cumulative life adversity, as reflected by high life dissatisfaction, had significantly poorer eating behaviors including the consumption of a high-fat diet and low intake of fruits and vegetables. Older African Americans' dietary choices were also associated with their perceived social support. More importantly, perceived social support acted as a buffer to mitigate the influence of life dissatisfaction on older African Americans' eating behaviors. CONCLUSION: Life dissatisfaction places older African Americans at risk for unhealthy eating behaviors. However, high levels of dietary social support can protect older African Americans from the influence of life dissatisfaction on unhealthy eating behaviors. There are practical implications of this research for health interventions and programming.