Search:

Cancer Control Research

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Regular physical activity and a healthy diet can prevent and treat illnesses and prolong life, yet most Americans do neither. This proposal, PHLAME II (Promoting Healthy Living: Assessing More Effects), extends our original Behavior Change Consortium, NIH-funded study PHALME (Promoting Healthy Lifestyles: Alternative Models' Effects). With PHLAME II, we make optimal use of the resources expended with PHLAME to continue to serially assess our fire fighter participants, and further advance the two interventions (the team-centered, peer led, scripted TEAM curriculum and one-on-one motivational interviewing (MI) for health promotion) shown to significantly promote participants' healthy nutrition and physical activity habits, albeit by different mechanisms. The proposal's three primary components are 1) serial assessment and analyses of the original PHLAME participants' health behaviors, using advanced statistical techniques to compare the original three groups, define mediators of durability and lapses for immediate and longer-term outcomes and identify for whom and under what conditions interventions appear most effective; 2) analyses of previously taped motivational interviews, from a population ideally suited to define determinants of effective MI for health promotion; and 3) dissemination of the PHLAME TEAM program in distant real-world sites, with attention to individual outcomes and program implementation, and with aid of a web-based infrastructure and partnering with national organizations of fire fighters. The PHLAME investigator team will continue for PHLAME II, and the group greatly benefits from their PHLAME experience; established credibility with their subjects; predefined protocols; in-place techniques for streamlining data management; and strong ties among researchers, MI and statistical collaborators and recently established qualitative consultants. Although PHLAME II involves the simultaneous conduct of different projects, we have confidence that the current research team, our existing lines of communication and demonstrated willingness to collaborate and shift responsibilities, when needed, will allow our success in adhering to the proposed timeline and achieving PHAME II's study AIMS. We welcome the opportunity to continue our collaborations with other health promotion researchers in address compelling questions and advancing these critical aspects of our nation's health.