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 communitybased 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 ( p5.03); 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.