Salsa, sabor y salud: Reducing diabetes risk in Latino families in memphis and shelby county

Salsa, Sabor y Salud (Food, Fun, and Fitness), represents a partnership between the YMCA of Memphis and the University of Memphis School of Public Health. Developed by the National Latino Children's Institute, this culturally relevant behavioral intervention aims to reduce diabetes risk in Latino families. The 8-session group program targets food intake (less sugar-sweetened beverages, increased fruits and vegetables) and increased daily physical activity. The program infuses Latino cultural values (simpatía, personalismo, familismo) into behavioral skill adoption, modeling, goal-setting, exercise and play in a supportive group environment. Families are also provided with free YMCA memberships. This study uses a repeated measures design in which participants serve as their own controls. In cohort 1, at baseline 30 families (30 mother and 4 fathers) participated with mean ages (33.3 and 36.9) and mean BMI (30.5 and 27.9). Because no fathers participated at post measurement only mothers were used to assess parental BMI changes. Children's (n=28) mean ages were 11.3 (females) and 10.6 (males) years, with baseline BMI percentiles 70%ile and 82%ile respectively. Among mothers there was a significant, marginal decline in BMI from baseline to post measurements, p=.01. There were also significant reductions in mothers' waist and glucose outcomes but not for diastolic and systolic blood pressure, ps=.01, .02 , .83, and .17 respectively. There were no significant changes in children's BMI, diastolic and systolic BP, waist, and glucose levels from baseline to post measurement, all ps > .30. This culturally-tailored, evidence-based approach holds promise for reducing diabetes risk in Latino families.