The "Rolling Store:" an economical and environmental approach to the prevention of weight gain in African American women

Abstract

Objective: To test the feasibility of the "Rolling Store," an innovative food-delivery intervention, along with a nutrition education program to increase the consumption of healthy foods (fruits and vegetables) to prevent weight gain in African American women.

Methods: Forty eligible African American women were enrolled in the study and randomized to intervention or control groups. A trained peer educator and a Rolling Store operator implemented the study protocol at a local community center.

Results: The program retention rate was 93%. Participants in the intervention group lost a mean weight of 2.0 kg, while participants in the control group gained a mean weight of 1.1 kg at six months. Overall participants showed a mean decrease in weight of -.4 kg (standard deviation 3.0 kg), but the intervention group lost significantly more weight and had a decreased body mass index at six months. In the intervention group, the average number of servings consumed per day of fruits/ fruit juice and vegetables significantly increased at six months.

Conclusions: The Rolling Store, at least on the small scale on which it was implemented, is a feasible approach to producing weight loss and improvements in healthy eating when combined with an educational program in a small community center.