Developing a Culturally Responsive Lifestyle Intervention for Overweight/Obese U.S. Mexicans

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Mexican Americans are the largest Hispanic subgroup and face disproportionate risks for overweight/obesity.
• Existing lifestyle interventions lack cultural tailoring for this population.
• Community needs assessments are crucial for developing effective, culturally relevant health programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a community needs assessment using the Cultural Adaptation Process (CAP) model.
• To inform the development of a culturally tailored, community-based program (SANOS) for overweight/obese U.S. Mexicans.
• To address diet and lifestyle factors contributing to obesity in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Conducted five Spanish-language focus groups with 31 overweight/obese Mexicans in New York City.
• Utilized a grounded theory approach for data analysis.
• Explored participants' knowledge, priorities, and preferences regarding diet, exercise, and behavioral change strategies.

Main Results:

• Identified five key themes: desire for tangible health information, family as a motivator, need for group support and accountability, importance of short-term goal setting, and barriers related to time and workplace.
• Highlighted the influence of acculturation on dietary habits.
• Revealed socioenvironmental barriers impacting healthy practices.

Conclusions:

• Cultural adaptation of evidence-based treatments is essential for Mexican Americans.
• Ecological factors, including acculturation, family dynamics, and socioenvironmental barriers, must be considered.
• Intervention design should incorporate participant-identified needs for successful adoption and sustained behavior change.