Body Mass Index and Intake of Selected Foods in African American Men

Abstract

There are minimal data on the relationship between dietary consumption of fats, vegetables, and fruits and body mass index (BMI) in African American men. This study tested the relationships between selected dietary consumption and BMI. The sample was a community-based cohort of 204 African American Southern men who attended a free prostate cancer educational and screening program. The screening was part of an all-day African American celebration that included a health fair. Diet was assessed with a Brief Dietary Scale for Selected Food Intake and Preparation. Most of the men were overweight (34%) or obese (47%). The majority of men ate their chicken (90%) and fish (96%) fried. Few men ate vegetables at supper (29.4%) or lunch (15.8%). Three fatty food items were significantly associated with BMI: leaving the chicken skin on chicken (p=.03); intake of low-fat or skim milk (p=.02); and cooking vegetables with butter (p=.03). African American men need culturally appropriate dietary interventions to reduce obesity.