Presentation description

Latinx adults in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by Type 2 diabetes and underrepresented in the CDC's National Diabetes Prevention Program efforts. They often face systemic barriers in prevention efforts, including limited access to culturally appropriate care, lower program retention, and structural challenges like language and transportation. The current study utilized a community-based participatory research approach to adapt the CDC's National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) for Latinx families in Utah. Specifically, the current study piloted the adapted program with 19 Latinx adults in a 13-week group facilitated by trained community health workers (CHWs). Participants attended weekly sessions covering healthy eating, physical activity, and stress management, with a strong emphasis on family engagement, cultural relevance, and peer support. Sessions were delivered in Spanish and incorporated bilingual materials, culturally relevant foods and recipes, and group discussions tailored to the lived experiences of Latinx families. Participants, on average, did not experience significant weight loss, indicating that while the intervention was feasible and culturally acceptable, further refinement and longer follow-up may be needed to observe measurable changes in weight. Additionally, these findings support existing literature suggesting weight loss does not alleviate risk for type 2 diabetes. However, exploratory analyses suggest a possible relationship between higher family support and greater weight loss.These preliminary findings can inform future research and contribute to the refinement of Type 2 diabetes interventions.