Project Summary/Abstract
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines (USDG) form the basis of federal nutrition programs and policy and
provide valuable guidance to health initiatives and industries. The updated 2015 USDG moved away from a
focus on individual nutrients to a greater focus on dietary patterns. The USDG state that healthy eating goals
can be met through a variety of dietary patterns, but present healthy diet in three main ways: 1) Healthy U.S.-
Style Eating Pattern, 2) Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern, and 3) Healthy Vegetarian Eating Pattern.
Currently, US adults are falling short of the nutrition recommendations (fruit/vegetable intake, greens/beans,
whole grains, etc.) set forth by the USDG and measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). While the USDG
are the basis of nutrition guidelines, the research informing these dietary pattern recommendations has largely
been drawn from observational studies among mostly white populations. In addition, there has been very
limited cultural-tailoring of these dietary patterns that would ensure that these diets are acceptable to diverse
populations, in particular, African Americans (AAs) living in the south, who experience a disproportionate
burden of chronic disease, especially type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Currently, US adults are not meeting nutrition
recommendations (fruit/vegetable, whole grains, etc.) set forth by the USDG and measured by the Healthy
Eating Index (HEI).
For this study, AA adult participants with overweight/obesity and =three T2DM risk factors will be
recruited to participate in the following aims:
Aim 1: Conduct a 3-month randomized trial among AAs comparing adoption of the 3 dietary patterns
[1) US, 2) Med, or 3) Veg] using existing materials from the USDG and examine differences in diet
quality (HEI) and T2DM risk factors (weight, HgbA1c).
Aim 2: Drawing on participants’ experiences in Aim 1, conduct qualitative work to refine and culturally
tailor the dietary pattern intervention for an AA audience.
Aim 3: Based on the findings of Aim 2, conduct a one-year intervention using revised culturally tailored
materials to examine differences in HEI and T2DM risk factors among participants (n=198) randomized
to one of the 3 dietary patterns.
This will result in community-based strategies around presenting dietary guidelines in a way to
effectively meet nutrition recommendations leading to significant impacts on health among AA adults.
