The program, called Body & Soul, is a nationwide, evidence-based health and wellness program tailored for African-Americans churches. Researchers work with church leaders to provide educational materials and resources for encouraging members to eat more fruits and vegetables and to be more active.

Body & Soul is supported by four essential pillars:

1. pastoral involvement,

2. educational activities to raise awareness about healthy living,

3. a worship environment that promotes healthy eating and

4. peer counseling.

"As the church's spiritual and organizational leader, the pastor's support of the program is vital. From there, it trickles down through church functions and events. If you can surround the congregation with healthy choices at these events, it shows how simple it is to make eating more fruits and vegetables part of their daily lives," says Natasha Blakeney Wilson, MPH, minority outreach coordinator at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center. Blakeney Wilson coordinates the Body & Soul program.

Participating churches have found success in replacing traditional coffee and doughnuts after service with "Smoothie Sundays," featuring fresh fruit. Other social events substitute healthier food choices that emphasize fruits and vegetables over unhealthy fried, sugary and processed favorites.

Body & Soul provides informational workshops to help churches strengthen their health ministry groups to implement the program. Peer counselors from within the church are trained to offer one-on-one support.

A healthy diet and active lifestyle may help lower the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer. The National Cancer Institute recommends eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Initial studies conducted by Kenneth Resnicow, Ph.D., a U-M Cancer Center member and professor of health behavior and health education at the U-M School of Public Health, showed that after interventional efforts and support from peer counselors at local churches, participants increased their fruit and vegetable intake by one serving per day, from an average of three to four servings.