ARS | Publication request: LINKING SERVICE AND NUTRITION RESEARCH: AN APPROACH TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH

Submitted to: International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 20, 2005
Publication Date: June 16, 2005
Citation: Prewitt, T.E., McCabe Sellers, B.J., Strickland, E., Bogle, M.L., Hyman, E.G., Mcgee, B. 2005. Linking service and nutrition research: an approach to community engagement in community based participatory research [abstract]. Proceedings of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. p. 156.

Technical Abstract: Purpose: This paper outlines how community service activities can evolve as a mechanism to identify and initiate community-based participatory research projects in diet/healthy eating. Background: The Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative (NIRI) is sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, to address nutritionally responsive problems of lower Mississippi Delta communities in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. The community-based participatory research (CBPR) model is the guiding framework for carrying out the Delta NIRI mission. Partnerships between academic institutions and community organizations in each state are conducting intervention research to address eating patterns, physical activity, nutritional health and chronic disease risk in rural communities. CBPR requires a strong academic-community partnership and, in particular, active involvement of the community in all phases of the research process. As part of initial efforts to broaden outreach and community awareness about healthy eating, the Arkansas NIRI initiated healthy eating service activities as a strategy to benefit the community. Methods/Key Points: Service activities identified by community partners around healthy eating afforded shared learning, community capacity building, the identification of mechanisms for sustainability and a platform to initiate community-wide nutrition education campaigns. Taken together, service activities also provide foundation for community empowerment in nutrition research - including the design, implementation and dissemination of culturally appropriate evidence-based nutrition interventions in the community. Conclusions: In the context of CBPR, service-related activities can be important in building requisite support for nutrition intervention research which potentially can be translated to benefit overall nutritional health of the community.