Featured Research
StrongPeople in the News!

Jan 13, 2023
Texas A&M Vital Record celebrates findings from recent StrongPeople publication
Researchers from the Texas A&M School of Public Health and AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health through Agriculture recently published findings from an evaluation of the StrongPeople Strong Hearts program in the International Journal of Behavior Nutrition and Physical Activity, indicating positive changes in objectively measured physical activity for study program participants.

Nov 15, 2022
New StrongPeople research findings highlighted in article from American Heart Association
This article celebrated findings from a StrongPeople research article recently published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes which looked at outcomes of a community-based healthy living program in rural areas. The study found that participants achieved significant weight loss, improved blood pressure and lowered triglycerides by the end of the 6-month program, as well as maintaining or improving their gains and physical activity and healthy eating behaviors 6-months afterwards.
Research Articles
and Publications
There is a wealth of published research on the StrongPeopleTM programs, and you can find access to these publications in the table below. To sort the articles in the table below, you can click on any of the column headings to sort by that field. You can also click on the program box at the top left to filter by program, or use the search box on the right. Click on the icon of a microscope to preview the file, the download button to download individual files, or to bulk download, select the checkbox next to the articles that you are interested in, and then select the Download Selected Documents button at the bottom of the table.
Title | Publication | Year | Programs | Keywords | Link | hf:tax:dlp_document_program |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Changes in physical activity outcomes in the Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities (SHHC-2.0) community-based randomized trial | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity | 2023 | Strong Hearts | Physical activity, Rural, Community-based, Randomized controlled trial | strong-hearts | |
Improvements and Maintenance of Clinical and Functional Measures Among Rural Women: Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities-2. 0 Cluster Randomized Trial | Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes | 2022 | Strong Hearts | cardiovascular disease, intervention, multilevel, prevention, rural | strong-hearts | |
Effects of StrongPeople Strong Bodies on Functional Fitness: A Community-Based Randomized Trial | Translational Journal of the ACSM | 2021 | Strong Bodies | strength training, older adults, rural, community setting, physical activity | strong-bodies | |
Evaluation of a Civic Engagement Approach to Catalyze Built Environment Change and Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Among Rural Residents: A Cluster (Community) Randomized Controlled Trial | BMC Public Health | 2022 | Change Club | Civic engagement, Built environment, Nutrition, Physical activity, Rural health equity, Social influence | change-club | |
Healthy Hearts for an Abundant Life: Feasibility of a Culturally Adapted Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Curriculum for African American Women | Healthy Equity | 2021 | Living Well | African American; cardiovascular health; community based intervention | living-well | |
Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Behavior Changes Among Rural Women: An Exploratory Mediation Analysis of a Randomized Multilevel Intervention Trial | TBM | 2020 | Strong Hearts | Mediation analysis, Rural, Nutrition, Physical activity, Social support | strong-hearts | |
The StrongWomen–Healthy Hearts program in Pennsylvania: RE-AIM analysis | TBM | 2015 | Living Well | Dissemination, RE-AIM, Cardiovascular disease, Women, Physical activity,Nutrition | living-well | |
Design and National Dissemination of the StrongWomen Community Strength Training Program | Preventing Chronic Disease | 2008 | Strong Bodies | strength training, dissemination, community-based exercise program | strong-bodies | |
Ripple Effects of a Community-Based Randomized Trial for Rural Women: Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities | Obesity Journal | 2020 | Strong Hearts | social network, community program, health behaviors | strong-hearts | |
Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities: A Community-Based Randomized Trial for Rural Women | Obesity Journal | 2018 | Strong Hearts | cardiovascular disease, older adults, women, rural health, | strong-hearts | |
Effects of the Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities Intervention on Functional Fitness of Rural Women | Journal of Rural Health | 2019 | Strong Hearts | cardiovascular disease, fitness, obesity, physical activity, rural | strong-hearts | |
Support and Sabotage: A Qualitative Study of Social Influences on Health Behaviors Among Rural Adults | Journal of Rural Health | 2016 | Strong Hearts | health behaviors, qualitative research, rural health, social environment | strong-hearts | |
Strength Training Improves Body Image and Physical Activity Behaviors Among Midlife and Older Rural Women | Journal of Extension | 2013 | Strong Bodies | strength training, older adults, women, body image, physical activity | strong-bodies | |
Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Healthy Eating and Active Living in Rural Communities | Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism | 2014 | Strong Hearts | rural areas, built environment, healthy eating, physical activity, | strong-hearts | |
Process Evaluation of Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities: A Rural Community-Based Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program | Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior | 2019 | Strong Hearts | cardiovascular disease, health promotion, program evaluation, rural population, women’s health | strong-hearts | |
Long-Term Body Weight Maintenance among StrongWomen–Healthy Hearts Program Participants | Journal of Environmental and Public Health | 2017 | Living Well | weight loss, community program | living-well | |
The StrongWomen Change Clubs: Engaging Residents to Catalyze Positive Change in Food and Physical Activity Environments | Journal of Environmental and Public Health | 2014 | Change Club | civic engagement, rural areas, community change | change-club | |
Strength Training and Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Factors Related to Exercise Adherence | Journal of Aging and Physical Activity | 2010 | Strong Bodies | community program, aging, physical activity | strong-bodies | |
Effects of High-Intensity Strength Training on Multiple Risk Factors for Osteoporotic Fractures | JAMA | 1994 | Strong Bodies | strength training, older adults, women, bone density | strong-bodies | |
Changes in Diet and Physical Activity Resulting from the Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities Randomized Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction Multilevel Intervention Trial | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity | 2019 | Strong Hearts | Cardiovascular disease, Rural, Community, Nutrition, Diet, Exercise, Physical activity | strong-hearts | |
Examining the Associations betweenWalk Score, Perceived Built Environment, and Physical Activity Behaviors among Women Participating in a Community-Randomized Lifestyle Change Intervention Trial: Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | 2019 | Strong Hearts | built environment; physical activity; Walk Score; obesity; rural health; intervention | strong-hearts | |
Factors Related to Leader Implementation of a Nationally Disseminated Community-based Exercise Program: A Cross-Sectional Study | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | 2008 | Strong Bodies | strength training, older adults, implementation, leadership | strong-bodies | |
Improved Physical Fitness Among Older Female Participants in a Nationally Disseminated, Community-Based Exercise Program | Health Education & Behavior | 2012 | Strong Bodies | aging and health, community-based participatory research, community health promotion, evaluation, health promotion, outcome evaluation, physical activity/exercise, training health professionals, women’s health | strong-bodies | |
The Effects of Multidimensional Home-Based Exercise on Functional Performance in Elderly People | Journal of Gerontology | 2004 | Strong Bodies | Older adults, strength training, home-based programming | strong-bodies | |
Web-Based Dissemination of a Civic Engagement Curriculum to Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living in Rural Towns: The eHEART Study | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | 2020 | Change Club | rural health; food environment; built environment; civic engagement | change-club | |
Mujeres Fuertes y Corazones Saludables, a Culturally Tailored Physical Activity and Nutrition Program for Rural Latinas: Findings from a Pilot Study | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | 2019 | Living Well | health promotion; physical activity; nutrition; Latina | living-well | |
Environmental Influences on Physical Activity among Rural Adults in Montana, United States: Views from Built Environment Audits, Resident Focus Groups, and Key Informant Interviews | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | 2017 | Strong Hearts | physical activity; rural health; triangulation; mixed methods; built environment; obesity; prevention | strong-hearts | |
A Randomized Control Trial of Resistance Exercise Training to Improve Glycemic Control in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes | Diabetes Care | 2002 | Strong Bodies | Type 2 Diabetes, Older Adults, Latino, Progressive Resistance Training | strong-bodies | |
Strong Hearts for New York: A Multilevel Community-Based Randomized Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction Intervention for Rural Women | Contemporary Clinical Trials | 2019 | Strong Hearts | Physical activity, Nutrition, Social network, Civic engagement, Rural, Cardiovascular disease | strong-hearts | |
Improving Heart Health among Black/ African American Women Using Civic Engagement: A Pilot Study | BMC Public Health | 2017 | Change Club | Cardiovascular disease, Blacks/African Americans, Lifestyle behaviors Socioecological model, Health disparities | change-club | |
Mujeres Fuertes y Corazones Saludables: Adaptation of the StrongWomen—Healthy Hearts Program for Rural Latinas Using an Intervention Mapping Approach | BMC Public Health | 2017 | Living Well | Health promotion, Rural, Health behavior, Latina, Adaptation | living-well | |
A Qualitative Study of Factors Related to Cardiometabolic Risk in Rural Men | BMC Public Health | 2016 | Strong Hearts | Men’s health, Rural health, Cardiometabolic disorder, Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Prevention, Qualitative research | strong-hearts | |
Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities: A Rural Community-Based Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program | BMC Public Health | 2016 | Strong Hearts | Cardiovascular disease, Rural, Community, Nutrition, Diet, Exercise, Physical activity, Civic engagement, Health promotion, Evidence-based | strong-hearts | |
A Qualitative Study of Leadership Characteristics among Women Who Catalyze Positive Community Change | BMC Public Health | 2012 | Change Club | Women, Leadership, Public health, Social ecological model, Obesity prevention | change-club | |
Cost-effectiveness of a Community-based Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Intervention in Medically Underserved Rural Areas | BMC Health Service Research | 2019 | Strong Hearts | Cost-effectiveness analysis, Cardiovascular disease prevention, Rural, Economic evaluation, Quality adjusted life years, Women | strong-hearts | |
The Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities Program 2.0: An RCT Examining Effects on Simple 7 | American Journal of Preventative Medicine | 2020 | Strong Hearts | RCT, rural population, older adults, cardiovascular health | strong-hearts | |
The Benefits of Strength Training for Older Adults | American Journal of Preventative Medicine | 2003 | Strong Bodies | strength training, older adults, bone health | strong-bodies | |
National Dissemination of StrongWomen–Healthy Hearts: A Community-Based Program to Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Midlife and Older Women | American Journal of Public Health | 2015 | Living Well | cardiovascular disease, older adults | living-well | |
The StrongWomen–Healthy Hearts Program: Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Rural Sedentary, Overweight, and Obese Midlife and Older Women | American Journal of Public Health | 2009 | Living Well | living-well | ||
Targeting Exercise for Promoting Bone Health in Women | American Journal of Medicine & Sports | 2004 | Strong Bodies | older adults, strength training, bone health | strong-bodies | |
A Civic Engagement Approach to Encourage Healthy Eating and Active Living in Rural Towns: The HEART Club Pilot Project | American Journal of Health Promotion | 2018 | Change Club | civic engagement, culture change, rural areas, built environment, healthy eating, physical activity, qualitative research | change-club |