NIH-funded research R01 grant

StrongPeople Together: a community program to prevent heart disease and cancer in church communities

Official title: StrongPeople Together: a multi-site, church-engaged randomized trial to achieve cardiovascular disease and cancer prevention

Funded at Texas A&m Agrilife Research · NIH-11294843 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A multi-site church-based program in lower-income communities aims to lower heart disease and cancer risk through locally tailored classes, an app for self-management and social support, and church-led civic efforts.

More Cardiovascular Disease research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionTexas A&m Agrilife Research
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (College Station, UNITED STATES)
Project startJune 21, 2026
Project endDecember 31, 2030
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$772,567
NIH project number1R01MD020028-01A1
Project IDNIH-11294843 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Adults 21+ in the Dallas–Fort Worth area who attend participating churches and are interested in improving heart health and cancer prevention behaviors.

Less likely to help

People not engaged with the church setting or those with conditions requiring acute medical management may derive limited benefit.

What this research studies

This project partners with 10 church sites in the Dallas–Fort Worth area to deliver experiential lessons on heart-healthy living and cancer prevention. It uses a smartphone app to help individuals track activity and self-management strategies, plus features that encourage family and friend support. The program also engages church advisory boards to drive community actions and create healthy living opportunities beyond the classroom. Formative research with church members will tailor the intervention, and the plan includes refining the app and activities based on feedback. The effectiveness will be evaluated through a community-randomized trial, with Life’s Essential 8 as a primary outcome measure and additional cardiovascular and cancer-related endpoints.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce heart disease and cancer risk in participating communities and inspire scalable church-based prevention efforts.

How similar studies have gone: Similar community-engaged, church-based prevention efforts have shown promise, but this specific multi-site randomized design and app-enabled approach are being tested.

Where this research is happening

  • Texas A&m Agrilife Research
    College Station, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Seguin-Fowler, Rebecca Anne — Texas A&m Agrilife Research
  • Study coordinator: Seguin-Fowler, Rebecca Anne

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.