Nutritional, Physical, and Educational Betterment in African American Communities Hicks 1

Nutritional, Physical, and Educational Betterment in African American Communities

Kendrick R. Hicks

Delaware State University

LIBS 390: Survey of Liberal Studies

Dr. Debra Rayford

June 22, 2022

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The betterment in any community starts with acknowledging and changing behavioral

patterns. In this essay I will be explaining my discipline/emphasis pattern alongside some

research in such. Containing information, profile of Dr. Lemacks, and some of her work! My

emphasis area is Kinesiology, the study of body movements, and functions. My emphasis

pattern/minor was Music until it unfortunately dropped, how this emphasis pattern/minor still

plays a part in my life, and in my career that I have so chosen.

The discipline I am researching is Nutrition and Physical Fitness! Specifically, in the

black community. I have always been an advocate for eating healthy and personally, healthy

adaptations, and increases in weight. Memories goes to show family as well. Always pushing

each other to take care of oneself. Embracing ourselves as athletes and creating healthy ways to

benefit ourselves physically, mentally in a positive approach. The scholar who I am researching

and works in the discipline is Dr. Jennifer L Lemacks! A Current Associate Professor and

researcher at The University of Southern Mississippi.

Dr. Lemacks shas multiple degrees! 4 to be exact. Three coming from Florida State

university, however, Dr. Lemacks made her start at Tallahassee Community College with an

Associate Degree of Arts with a concentration in Dietetics/Dietitian in 2005. She later got her

bachelor’s degree of Science, Food, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences; Dietetics in 2012 with a

certificate in Adolescent and Child Weight Management. Also, in the current event of 2012, she

obtained her RD (Registered Dietitian) Certification as well as her Doctorate in

Philosophy/Human Nutrition with a Public Health and Qualitative/Quantitative Methods

Emphases.

“Dr. Lemacks is a minority health and health disparities expert.” She is also an Associate

Professor at University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Lemacks has much work on her hands, she
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is also the “director of the Mississippi INBRE Telenutrition Center, which supports Native

American and African American communities.” Directing in summer programs, Dr. Lemacks

hosts and directs the Mississippi INBRE Outreach Scholars Program. Where Dr. Lemacks and

her team utilize themselves to support nutrition outreach among minority populations in such

state. Lastly, she holds events to expel knowledge and information regarding culturally depicted

solutions to address physical and diet behaviors in local communities. Information of what she

teaches at USM has not been shown/released.

Dr. Lemacks has posted a vast amount of work! 29 to be exact, spanning from 2012-

2022. Many coming in the pathways of public health. Branching from sexual health in African

Americans, social support/self-management, physical activity, etc. Although, the article that

stuck out to me the most was “Interventions for Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity

Behaviors in Adult African American Populations: A Systematic Review, January 2000 Through

December 2011” By Dr. Jennifer Lemacks, Brittny A. Wells, Dr. Jasminka Z. Lich, and Dr.

Penny A Ralston. Published Online June 20, 2013. All information has been found through

PubMed Central/National Library of Medicine.

From the article I was able to find that Dr. Lemacks discussed about how the rate of

certain chronic diseases are high among African Americans. Stating that this issue could be

potentially reduced through proper nutrition, dieting and physical activity interventions. With

this she defines the concept with “data extraction” (para. 7) where she explained that the

“interventions included at least 1 direct or indirect instructional strategy to educate participants

on how to increase daily physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption or how inactivity

and poor dietary patterns can negatively affect health” (para. 7) Furthering into the topic, she

exclaims the information she found was for this purpose. “Information on the following
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components were collected: study settings, theoretical principles incorporated into the

intervention design, study outcomes, intervention details, recruitment strategies, attendance and

retention rates of the participants, sustainability of the achieved changes in health behaviors, and

provision of physical activity and nutrition education.”

Dr. Lamecks commenced her interventions, tracking down the reoccurrence of her

contenders. Separated into 19 studies and 2 reviewers. “1 study reported dietary and physical

activity components of the intervention in 2 separate articles, and another reported intervention

results in 1 publication and recruitment and retention information in another” (para. 9)

In the case of the issue. Dr. Lemacks looks at such in potentially becoming better.

Stronger groupings and foundation for the African American community. With many

interventions being successful, however, more work and research are needed. “Further research

is required to substantiate the link between the intervention-induced diet and physical activity

changes and related disease-risk biochemical markers. Such data could be documented on a

clinical level, and the information on population disease-risk characteristics could become

available” (para. 29)

In all accordance, the information, concept, and exercise of this essay has put a better

understanding of what it is to be in the discipline of Physical Fitness (Kinesiology) and Nutrition.

Whether it consist in the betterment of my community, myself, and or peers. Altogether, the

essay shows the growth of a scholar who has the passion for what she does!
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Works Cited

Lemacks, J., Wells, B. A., Ilich, J. Z., & Ralston, P. A. (2013, June 20).

Interventions for improving nutrition and physical activity behaviors in adult African American

populations: A systematic review, January 2000 through December 2011. Preventing chronic

disease. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3690829/