The broad objective is to determine prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes in Hispanic adolescents. Relationships between these two health problems and factors that contribute to them will be analyzed. Besides providing information to design prevention interventions, this pilot will record baseline data before implementation of a comprehensive children's health program in the school system. After a cohort has encountered this program, the study can be repeated to evaluate its effects.
The specific aims of the program are to obtain baseline data, to determine relationships between adiposity, biological markers of type 2 diabetes, behavioral and socioeconomic factors in the development of obesity, to suggest possible prevention interventions, and to use the data to evaluate current and future interventions. The study takes place in Brownsville, on the Texas Mexico border, where the population is 84.8% Hispanic. This community has an average income half that of the rest of the United States, but high disease burdens, particularly chronic diseases such as diabetes. The study population will consist of 474 9th to 12th grade students who are randomly selected. A Type I error level of 0.05, standard deviation of 6.4 BMI units will be assumed and 474 non-respondents will be interviewed. Height, weight, Body Impedance Analysis, blood pressure, acanthosis nigricans, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, lipid profile, C-reactive protein, liver function tests, demographic factors, physical activity and nutritional habits will be recorded. Results from these tests will be shared with the parents of the child. Summary measures (means, median, mode, variability measurements: standard deviation, range, interquartile range, etc.) will be determined. The data will be shared with the Cardiovascular Core for use in evaluation of the effectiveness of their interventions. The Statistical Economic Analysis Core (SEAC) will provide data analyses. A database will contain data from the clinical examination, questionnaire and laboratory. The findings will be analyzed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obese children, type 2 diabetes and association of risk factors. These analyses will be shared with other researchers at the HHRC, with the community, and used to design interventions. A second database will be built to enter data from the non-responder parents.
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