The Third (1988-1994) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that Mexican-American adults had higher age- and sex- standardized prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes and other U.S. racial/ethnic populations. Recently investigators have reported the increasing frequency of type 2 diabetes in Mexican-American youth. Diabetes risk factors also have been identified in non-diabetic Mexican- American youth. Since diabetes is highly prevalent in Mexican-American adults, diabetes is increasing in Mexican-American youth and diabetes risk factors are more common in Mexican-American children, a prudent measure would be to explore health education programs aimed at preventing diabetes in this population at risk. We propose an intervention, the Bienestar health program, a school-based risk factor prevention program that targets 4th grade Mexican-American children residing in poor neighborhoods. The Bienestar health program's learning activities are based on Social Cognitive Theory. Learning activities were developed for the four social systems that conceptually should have the most influence on children's health behaviors-parents, school classroom, school cafeteria and after school care. The San Antonio Independent School District will be the host for the intervention and the University of Texas at San Antonio division of education, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology and South Texas Health Research Center) will be collaborators in the implementation and evaluation of the intervention. For this study the hypothesis is that children exposed to Bienestar intervention will significantly reduce their risk factors for developing diabetes compared to children in schools not yet receiving the intervention. If differences exist, the study will examine if diabetes risk factors differences are maintained over time (3 years post-intervention). Study outcomes will be behavioral and biological endpoints. Behavioral outcomes will be percent body fat, dietary fat intake, fruit and vegetable intake and physical fitness. Biological outcomes will fasting capillary glucose levels. Ultimately, we would like to delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DK059213-03
Application #
6524406
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDK1-GRB-6 (O2))
Program Officer
Linder, Barbara
Project Start
2000-09-30
Project End
2004-08-31
Budget Start
2002-09-01
Budget End
2003-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$420,915
Indirect Cost
Name
Social and Health Research Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
877355321
City
San Antonio
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
78210
Trevino, Roberto P; Fogt, Donovan L; Wyatt, Tammy Jordan et al. (2008) Diabetes risk, low fitness, and energy insufficiency levels among children from poor families. J Am Diet Assoc 108:1846-53
Moore, Justin B; Hanes Jr, John C; Barbeau, Paule et al. (2007) Validation of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children in children of different races. Pediatr Exerc Sci 19:6-19
Trevino, Roberto P; Yin, Zenong; Hernandez, Arthur et al. (2004) Impact of the Bienestar school-based diabetes mellitus prevention program on fasting capillary glucose levels: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 158:911-7