Evaluation of a Web-based Lifestyle Course for Asian Americans in Texas
Introduction
Cancer is the leading cause of death among Asian Americans (AAs) in the United States and Texas. Unhealthy dietary behaviors, physical inactivity, and obesity have been found to be associated with increased cancer risk. Funded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), our study aimed to engage Asian Americans in systematic changes toward desired health behaviors to prevent cancer.
Methods
From 2021 to 2022, 284 AAs were recruited through four community organizations in Texas. They completed the informed consent and pre-class survey to participate in a Web-based Lifestyle Course taught by a Nutrition Scientist and Board-Certified Holistic Health Practitioner. After attending 8 two-hour online sessions (one-hour lecture and one-hour Q&A) over 8 weeks, 175 and 141 participants finished the post-class and 6-month follow-up surveys, respectively. One participant, reporting a height of 1 foot and 1 inch, was excluded from the analysis, resulting in a sample size of 140 participants who finished three waves of surveys. We conducted paired t-tests to compare their behavioral and weight outcomes before the course with those after the completion of the class and at the 6-month follow-up.
Results
The participants’ weights and BMI values at the 6-month follow-up were significantly lower than the baseline, though the changes were not significant immediately after the intervention. The participants’ rice consumption (the main staple in the Chinese diet) dropped significantly from an average of 0.85 times per day to 0.73 times per day after the intervention and 0.69 times per day at the 6-month follow-up. They also reduced their consumption of 100% juice and fried potatoes significantly after the class. However, their fruits and vegetables consumption and physical activities did not change significantly.
Conclusion
Previous observational studies reported associations between rice consumption and the incidence of some chronic diseases especially type 2 diabetes. After the intervention, the participants in our study reduced their rice intake. This study lent evidence for using a curriculum-based approach to improve the dietary and weight outcomes of AAs. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for cancer prevention, as being overweight or obese is associated with increased risks of cancer incidence at multiple sites.