Preliminary evidence suggests that sequentially changing smoking alongside other risk behaviors was more effective than simultaneous change .
Follow-up period and intervention characteristics impacted effectiveness for some outcomes .
Interventions comprising education ( e.g. , providing information about behaviors associated with health risks ) and skills training ( e.g. , teaching skills that equip participants to engage in less risky behavior ) and targeting multiple risk behaviors concurrently are associated with small changes in diet and physical activity .
Although on average smoking was reduced , it appeared changes in smoking were negatively associated with changes in other behaviors , suggesting it may not be optimal to target smoking simultaneously with other risk behaviors
CONTEXT Multiple risk behaviors are common and associated with developing chronic conditions such as heart disease , cancer , or Type 2 diabetes .
Results of the healthy body healthy spirit trial.
Healthy Body Healthy Spirit was a multicomponent intervention to increase fruit and vegetable ( F & V ) consumption and  physical activity ( PA )  delivered through Black churches . Sixteen churches were r and omly assigned to 3 intervention conditions . At baseline , 1,056 individuals were recruited across the 16 churches , of which 906 ( 86 % ) were assessed at 1-year follow-up . Group 1 received st and ard educational material s , Group 2 received culturally targeted self-help nutrition and PA material s , and Group 3 received the same intervention as did Group 2 as well as 4 telephone counseling calls based on motivational interviewing ( MI ) delivered over the course of 1 year . At 1-year follow-up , Groups 2 and 3 showed significant changes in both F & V intake and PA . Changes were somewhat larger for F & V. For F & V , but not PA , there was a clear additive effect for the MI intervention
Preliminary evidence suggests that sequentially changing smoking alongside other risk behaviors was more effective than simultaneous change .
Follow-up period and intervention characteristics impacted effectiveness for some outcomes .
Interventions comprising education ( e.g. , providing information about behaviors associated with health risks ) and skills training ( e.g. , teaching skills that equip participants to engage in less risky behavior ) and targeting multiple risk behaviors concurrently are associated with small changes in diet and physical activity .
Although on average smoking was reduced , it appeared changes in smoking were negatively associated with changes in other behaviors , suggesting it may not be optimal to target smoking simultaneously with other risk behaviors
CONTEXT Multiple risk behaviors are common and associated with developing chronic conditions such as heart disease , cancer , or Type 2 diabetes .