Helping Latino faith communities support adult Latinas to be more active
Official title: Enhancing capacity in faith-based organizations to implement and sustain multilevel innovations to improve physical activity
Funded at San Diego State University · NIH-11371436 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project trains church leaders and community health workers in Latino faith communities to deliver and sustain programs that help adult Latinas increase physical activity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | San Diego State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $677,977 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL158538-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11371436 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adult Latina women who attend or participate in programs at participating faith-based organizations are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not attend faith-based organizations, men, younger teens, or those unable to be physically active due to severe mobility limitations are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project partners with churches and other faith-based organizations to adapt a proven physical activity program so it fits each congregation. Leaders and promotoras (community health workers) receive training, tailored messaging, and support to run the program for 12 months with a 6-month follow-up. The team will test additional strategies to keep programs running long-term by strengthening local collaborations and offering technical help. The effort uses a clustered randomized design across diverse faith sites and measures both organization-level changes and individual activity and weight outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants could have easier access to lasting, church-based programs that help increase physical activity and lower risk for obesity and chronic disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous church-based programs like Faith in Action have improved activity among Latinas, but expanding them across many congregations and keeping them going long-term has been less tested.
Where this research is happening
-
San Diego State University
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Arredondo, Elva M — San Diego State University
- Study coordinator: Arredondo, Elva M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.