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Lighten Up

An Effective Practice

Description

Lighten Up is a faith-based approach to lifestyle change developed in collaboration between the Medical Center of South Carolina and the local African-American Christian community that encourages participants to improve their health. The program includes health checks, health conferences, and an eight week program focused on nutrition, exercise, and spiritual growth. the health checks include measurements of weight, body fat, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), and glucose. The health conferences focus on the interpretation of health check test results, education on the health crisis in America, and identifying effective lifestyle choices for better health. The eight week program covers eight "spiritual fruits": love, knowledge, peace, faith, kindness, joy, self-control, and godliness. Each program includes an educational health video, covering topics including behavior change, food labels, diabetes, exercise, food composition, vitamins and minerals, food decisions, and faith.

Goal / Mission

The goal of the Lighten Up program is to encourage lifestyle change and improve health through faith-based lessons.

Results / Accomplishments

In a pre- and post-study, participants in the program had significant reductions in weight, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol (p's < 0.01) at the end of the program when compared to baseline measurements. Risk factor improvement was greater among participants who attended 75% or more of the educational sessions. At one year post-intervention, participants in the Lighten Up program maintained significant decreases in weight, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and triglycerides.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Medical Center of South Carolina
Primary Contact
Mary Joan Oexman, MS, RD
Lighten Up
Saint James Church
1872 Camp Road
Charleston, SC 29412
(843) 795-1623
maryjoan@lightenupforever.org
http://www.lightenupforever.org/index.htm
Topics
Health / Wellness & Lifestyle
Community / Social Environment
Health / Physical Activity
Organization(s)
Medical Center of South Carolina
Date of publication
2001
Date of implementation
1998
Location
South Carolina
For more details
Target Audience
Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Miami-Dade Matters