UAB: Comprehensive Cancer Center

Body & Soul

"Body & Soul:  A Celebration of Healthy Eating and Living" is a health program developed for African-American churches.  The program encourages church members to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables every day for better health.

Body & Soul incorporates four pillars:

--A pastor who is committed and involved

--Church activities that promote healthy eating, such as educational activities that teach members skills, helping people learn about ways to prevent chronic diseases, and allowing church members to try new fruits and vegetables

--A church environment that supports healthy eating

--Peer counseling that provides individual support for church members

The adaptation of Body & Soul

Based on recommendations from the discussion groups that faith-based institutions were systems which can be utilized to impact cancer disparities in the targeted communities, DSN partnered with the CIS Program Partnership Coordinator to implement the Body & Soul program.  Utilizing the CHA model, DSN CHARPs were trained to recruit churches to implement the Body & Soul program.

Part of the developed intervention included continued capacity building of the staff and volunteers through the train-the-trainer methods of teaching. DSN local staff also serve as support for DSN volunteers who act as the community partner with the churches implementing Body & Soul. A critical piece of the intervention was the collection of baseline data and follow-up data at intervals of 12 months.

The DSN Body & Soul campaign began in March 2007.  Body & Soul is implemented in 18 out of 22 DSN counties in Alabama and Mississippi.  At six months, 58 churches were involved in the program. Churches are also provided with cancer awareness messages and screening information.

Why join Body & Soul?

--It’s fun.

--Improve your health through the eating of fruits and vegetables.

--Help your members take care of their bodies and spirits.

For more information on Body and Soul, please contact us at (205) 975-5454 or (205) 975-2643.