¡Viva Maryvale!: A Multilevel, Multisector Model to Community-Based Diabetes Prevention

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Latino communities face disproportionate type 2 diabetes rates and barriers to prevention programs.
• Integrated research-practice partnerships can address health disparities in vulnerable populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the preliminary efficacy of a culturally adapted diabetes prevention program for high-risk Latino families.
• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a community-based intervention delivered through a research-practice partnership.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week lifestyle intervention including nutrition education, behavioral skills training, and physical activity was implemented.
• The program was delivered through a partnership involving a health center, YMCA, diabetes education program, and academic research center.
• Participants included Latino families with a parent and an obese child (ages 8-12).

Main Results:

• High program completion (83%) and attendance (91%) rates were observed.
• Significant reductions in body fat percentage were noted for both parents and children.
• Improvements in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) for parents and quality of life for both parents and children were significant.

Conclusions:

• The culturally grounded diabetes prevention program demonstrated preliminary efficacy in a high-risk Latino population.
• An integrated research-practice partnership model is effective for delivering health interventions in underserved communities.
• Findings support the use of this model to address type 2 diabetes prevention needs in Latino families.