Abstract
This study sought to evaluate the feasibility of a pilot, dyad-based lifestyle intervention, the Unidas por la Vida program, for improving weight loss and dietary intake among high-risk Mexican American mothers who have Type 2 diabetes and their overweight/obese adult daughters. Mother-daughter dyads (N = 89) were recruited from two federally qualified health centers and randomly assigned to either the Unidas intervention or to the control condition. The 16-week Unidas intervention consisted of the following: (a) four group meetings, (b) eight home visits, and (c) booster telephone calls by a lifestyle community coach. The control condition consisted of educational materials mailed to participants' homes. Participants completed surveys at T1 (baseline) and T2 (16 weeks) that assessed various demographic, social network involvement, and dietary variables. Unidas participants lost significantly more weight at T2 (p < .003) compared with the control participants. Furthermore, intervention participants also were more likely to be eating foods with lower glycemic load (p < .001) and less saturated fat (p = .004) at T2. Unidas participants also reported a significant increase in health-related social support and social control (persuasion control only) and a decrease in undermining. The Unidas program promoted weight loss and improved dietary intake, as well as changes in diet-related involvement of participants' social networks. The results from this study demonstrate that interventions that draw upon multiple people who share a health-risk have the potential to foster significant changes in lifestyle behaviors and in social network members' health-related involvement. Future research that builds on these findings is needed to elucidate the specific dyadic and social network processes that may drive health behavior change.
Highlights
MethodsMexican American women with type 2 diabetes were recruited from two federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) from September 2010 through August 2012 (for more information, see Sorkin et al, 2013)
Title Dyadic collaboration in shared health behavior change: the effects of a randomized trial to test a lifestyle intervention for high-risk Latinas
Each patient received an explanation of the program from project staff and was asked whether she would be interested in participating in the program to help improve her diabetes management and, in addition, whether she had an adult daughter who might be interested in losing weight
Summary
Mexican American women with type 2 diabetes were recruited from two federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) from September 2010 through August 2012 (for more information, see Sorkin et al, 2013). FQHCs receive federal funding to serve underserved, underinsured, and uninsured Americans (U.S Department of Health and Human Services). Women with Type 2 diabetes were identified from International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes, and were recruited during regularly scheduled appointments at both health centers. Each patient received an explanation of the program from project staff and was asked whether she would be interested in participating in the program to help improve her diabetes management and, in addition, whether she had an adult daughter who might be interested in losing weight. Project staff contacted the patient’s daughter to ascertain her interest in participating in the project. All participants completed an informed consent form and a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) waiver to allow a review of their medical charts
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
