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

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.