Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #101213

Maria Lopez, MPH, MS, School of Social Welfare and Prevention Research Center, The University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12203, 518-489-7709, ml76epid@yahoo.com

Background: Limited access to healthy foods and places conducive to physical activity can represent barriers to diabetes prevention and management. In reviewing the literature of diabetes and the nutrition/activity environment among Latinos, the need for a comprehensive ecological study becomes apparent. To describe a Latino community's environment, three types of surveys were conducted in Amsterdam, NY to assess food sources, street characteristics, and recreational facilities. Although the focus of this study is in Amsterdam, comparison data from other counties (Albany, Colombia, and Greene) were also assessed.

Methodology: An exploratory study was conducted that (1) assessed the availability, accessibility and affordability of specific foods recommended for people with diabetes and (2) described block-level information (i.e., the presence of functional curbs, functional sidewalks). A total of 35 stores and 11 census block groups (N=34) were surveyed in Amsterdam. A total of 257 stores were surveyed from all three counties.

Data Analysis: Descriptive analysis was used for both food stores and census block level information.

Results: Specific foods for diabetes prevention and management were either too costly or unavailable among the Latino Amsterdam community compared with other counties surveyed. Also, Latinos have few food shopping options given the location of stores and the type of foods they sell. Environmental barriers may reduce the frequency of physical activity and ease of mobility for both pedestrians (disabled and non-disabled) and automobiles.

Conclusion: This environmental assessment provides the basis for future studies on the contribution of a community's nutrition/activity environment to prevention and self-management of diabetes.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn and recognize the benefits of using different surveys to describe a community’s environmental resources.
• Describe what healthy foods recommended for adults are available, affordable, and accessible for Latino residents in the Amsterdam community.
• Assess how stores in Amsterdam compare with those in the three counties by availability, affordability and accessibility.
• Identify specific physical barriers, such as non-functional sidewalk, ramps, etc., that may discourage physical activity and mobility and therefore hinder diabetes prevention and self-management in the Latino Amsterdam community.

Keywords: Community, Environment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.