Abstract

Statement of the Problem

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are rising disproportionately among young people, with African American students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) facing unique risks due to biological, social, and environmental factors. Early intervention during young adulthood is critical to reduce long-term cardiometabolic risk.

Methodology

The BeFAB program, a culturally tailored digital lifestyle intervention previously tested among postpartum women, was adapted for HBCU students. Phase 1 formative research included surveys, focus groups, and Community Advisory Board (CAB) input to identify cultural, psychosocial, and structural factors influencing health behaviors. Key areas highlighted were stress, sleep, health literacy, social support, and technology/social media use. Based on these findings, BeFAB-HBCU was developed as a digital intervention integrating weekly mobile messages, videos, interactive newsletters, logging features, and app-based competitions.

Findings

The pilot is structured with two groups (n=150 students each). Group 1 begins the BeFAB-Group program (Weekly mobile phone text messages, video access, interactive newsletters with “deep-dive” clickable content, logging and self-monitoring features, and app-based competitions and social support) while Group 2 (BeFAB Light) serves as a control with limited exposure (newsletter and basic video access). After 12 weeks, groups will switch conditions. Preliminary results from Group 1, available at the time of the conference, demonstrate high acceptability of digital delivery methods and strong student engagement.

Conclusion and Significance

Findings indicate that a culturally tailored, technology-driven approach is feasible for engaging HBCU students in healthy behaviors. This work demonstrates the potential of mobile health interventions as scalable models for disease prevention and control, particularly for reducing long-term cardiometabolic disparities in young African American adults.

Keywords: obesity, young adults, digital health, mHealth, prevention