The Black Impact Pilot Study

Improving cardiovascular health in black men through a 24-week community-based team lifestyle change intervention
By Kaelyn Varner

Improving Cardiovascular Health in Black Men Through a 24-week Community-Based Team Lifestyle Change Intervention: The Black Impact Pilot Study:

The American Heart Association uses the Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) score to measure heart health. A higher score is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and death. Black men have the lowest scores when compared to women and white populations in the United States. The Black Impact study was a community program designed to raise LS7 scores in a group of Black men with poor or average LS7 scores in Ohio. The program encouraged healthy lifestyle habits by holding weekly sessions that included physical activity and education about healthy eating, financial wellness, managing stress, and cancer screenings. By the end of the 24 week study, LS7 scores had increased by almost a full point. There was also improvement in most participants’ weight, cholesterol levels, and diet. Creating more programs like the Black Impact Study could be an effective way to improve heart health in the Black male community.