Body mass index and intake of selected foods in African American men

Background: There are minimal data on the relationship between dietary consumption of fats, vegetables, and fruits and body mass index (BMI) in African American men.

Objective: This study tested the relationships between selected dietary consumption and BMI.

Design: 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.

Results: 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).

Conclusion: African American men need culturally appropriate dietary interventions to reduce obesity.