Are Demographic Factors Associated with Diabetes Risk Perception and Preventive Behavior?

To determine the relationship between perceived diabetes susceptibility, demographic factors, diet, and physical activity.

This descriptive, correlational study used multilevel modeling in a secondary analysis of data collected in a randomized controlled trial of genetic-risk testing and risk counseling for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in primary care.

409 participants who had undergone genetic-risk testing for T2DM in primary care were randomized into either a standard risk assessment (SRA) arm for type 2 diabetes or an SRA plus results of genetic-risk testing (SRA+G) arm.

Perceived diabetes susceptibility was not significantly related to demographic factors but only to fruit-and-vegetable intake at 12 months after genetic-risk counseling (p = .04). Daily servings of fruits and vegetables had a significant, positive relationship with female gender (p = .006), age (p = .02), and Hispanic ethnicity at 3 (p = .002) and 12 months after baseline (p = .01). Daily servings of fatty foods were inversely related to age at baseline (p = .02) and 3 months later. At all three timepoints, Blacks were consuming more servings of fatty foods than were other groups. A positive relationship between age and moderate activity was significant at 3 months (p = .05). Vigorous activity was inversely related to age; higher among men at all three timepoints; and higher among Hispanics at baseline (p = .0038) and 3 months later (p = .0001).

To plan effective, sustainable interventions, providers must understand the associations among demographic factors, individuals' risk perceptions, and lifestyle changes.