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Staff

  • Joel Gittelsohn, Principal Investigator
  • Ahyoung Shin, Former Project Coordinator

Introduction/Overview

Baltimore Healthy Eating Zones (BHEZ) was a multi-level, youth-targeted obesity intervention program among African American adolescents held in recreation centers and corner stores in the Baltimore City. The project was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Health Institute in Johns Hopkins University.

Primary Aims

  • Promote healthy foods and healthy eating habits in seven recreation centers and 21 surrounding corner stores in the Baltimore City using interactive sessions (cooking demonstration and taste tests), point-of-purchase promotion materials (shelf labels, posters, etc), and peer education.
  • Increase healthy food availability and affordability in corner stores using the intervention strategies above and monetary incentives.
  • Evaluate the impact of the intervention using dietary and behavioral surveys.

Project Features

  • Multi-level obesity intervention targeting youth, caregivers, and policy-makers
  • 8-month intervention (Oct. 2009 – May 2010) divided by five phases; Healthy Beverages, Healthy Breakfast, Cooking at Home/ Healthy Lunch / Healthy Snacks / Carry-out
  • Point-of-purchase materials in recreation centers and corner stores; shelf label, poster, flyer, giveaway, buttons.
  • Interactive sessions in recreation centers and corner stores; cooking demonstration, taste test
  • Education component; education of recreation center staffs, store owners, and youth study participants by peer educators and interventionists
  • Connection to policy makers; cooperation with the Baltimore City Health Department

Phases of Research

PhaseName of the phasePromoted BehaviorPromoted foods
0TeaserIncreasing awareness of BHEZ program in local stores–
1Healthy beverageChoose healthier and low calorie drinks- water or diet sodas over regular sodasDiet sodas, 100% fruit juice, water, low-calorie drink mix (Crystal Light, Wyler’s Light)
2Healthy breakfast· Consume low-sugar, high-fiber cereals and low-fat milk.· Try fruit in cerealLow-sugar cereals: Cheerios, Wheat Chex, etc.
High-Fiber Cereals: Wheaties, Raisin Bran, etc.
Milk: 1% And Skim Milk
3Cooking at home/ Healthy Lunch· Use cooking spray when making eggs, pancakes and vegetables· Drain-and-rinse excess fat from ground beef· Buy healthier foods· Add vegetables into cooked meals· Pack a healthy lunchCooking sprays, fresh/canned/frozen vegetables, fresh/canned (in light syrup/juice) fruit, 100% Whole wheat bread
4Healthy snacks· Eat fruits or vegetables for snacks· Try new ways to eat fruits and vegetables· Choose baked instead of fried snacksFresh fruits: Apple, bananas, tangerines, strawberries, raisins
Vegetables: celery, carrots
Low fat snacks: baked chips, pretzels, Sun Chips, yogurt, granola bars
Low sugar snacks: trail mix, nuts, seeds
5Carry-out· Choose lower-fat carry-out meals· Request less mayonnaise on foods· Choose whole wheat bread over white bread· Choose healthier sidesWhole wheat bread, low fat and fat free mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard,
healthy sides: fruits, vegetables

Publications

Surkan PJ, Coutinho AJ, Christiansen K, Dennisuk LA, Suratkar S, Mead E, Sharma S, Gittelsohn J. (2010) “Healthy food purchasing among African American youth, associations with child gender, adult caregiver characteristics and the home food environment,” Public Health Nutrition, Oct 5:1-8. [Epub ahead of print].

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20920386

Gittelsohn J, Dennisuk LA, Christiansen K, Bhimani R, Johnson A, Alexander E, Lee M, Lee SH, Rowan M, and Coutinho A. “Development and implementation of Baltimore Healthy Eating Zones: A youth-centered intervention trial to improve the food environment around recreation centers in Baltimore City” (Manuscript submitted to Public Health Nutrition, February 2011).

Coutinho AJ, Suratkar S, Dennisuk LA, Surkan PJ, Sharma S, Gittelsohn J. “Associations of youth and caregiver psychosocial factors and the home food environment with youth high-fat, high-sugar food-purchasing in low-income African American households” (Manuscript submitted to Health Education & Behavior, February 2010).

Dennisuk LA, Coutinho AJ, Suratkar S, Surkan P, Christiansen K, Riley M, Anliker JA, Sharma S, Gittelsohn J. (2011) ” Food expenditures and food purchasing among low-income urban African-American youth.” Am J Prev Med, 40(6): 625-628.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21565654

Kramer RF, Coutinho AJ, Vaeth E, Christiansen K, Suratkar S, Gittelsohn J. “Healthier home food preparation methods and youth and caregiver psychosocial factors are associated with lower BMI in African American youth,” Journal of Nutrition, (in press).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22457390

If you would like the data collection forms please email Joel Gittelsohn.

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HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS

The Healthy Food Systems projects aim to improve health and prevent obesity and disease in low-income communities through culturally appropriate educational, environmental and policy interventions that increase access to healthy foods and promote their purchase, preparation and consumption.
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CONTACT INFORMATION

Center for Human Nutrition
Room W2041A
Department of International Health
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
615 North Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD. 21205-2179
Work: 410-502-6971
Fax: 410-955-0196

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