Table 1.

Major themes identified from focus group discussions in Macon and Bullock Counties in Alabama, 2012 and 2013 (N = 55).

Themes	Selected quotations
Health and nutrition
	•Need for nutrition and health system
	•Reluctance to change health behavior
	•Need to make healthier food choice
	•The idea of wanting to live longer motivates one to change lifestyle choices
	•Preparing meals at home instead of eating out
	•Eliminating high amounts of salt
	•Would like to lose weight and have more control over diet
	•Getting an adequate amount of sleep
	•Not knowing where to access resource for health promotion
	•Physical activity makes you look better and feel better and increases you mental ability
	•Living healthy exercising and feeling good
	•Being able to function
Family
	•Having friends and family and loved ones to communicate and interact with
	•Focusing on our for sustained dietary and lifestyle changes
	•Increased family discussion of dietary and health habits
Environment
	•Increase nutritional choices in the schools
	•Having a nice clean home without paint peeling or lead poisoning
	•Access to fresh food without contaminates
	•Lack of affordable and adequate exercise facilities
	•Lack of community support for health related facilities
Access to resources
	•Lack of county support for health facilities
	•Lack of adequate information sharing regarding health facilities
	•Lack of support from faith based community
	•Need more community discussion and information sharing
	•Lack of information regarding research findings by academic institutions