Abstract
In the United States, Latino adults, compared with non-Hispanic white adults, are less likely to meet physical activity and dietary recommendations, and have higher rates of obesity. There is an urgent need for culturally adapted health promotion programs that meet the needs of the growing Latino population in the United States. We systematically adapted StrongWomen—Healthy Hearts, an evidence-based physical activity and nutrition program, for rural Latinas. This paper reports results from a pilot study of the adapted program. We used mixed methods to assess the feasibility and efficacy of the adapted program, Mujeres Fuertes y Corazones Saludables, in a nonprofit community organization serving rural Latinos. The intervention consisted of sixty-minute classes held twice weekly for 12 weeks and included 30 minutes of physical activity and 30 minutes of nutrition education. To assess efficacy, we used a one-group, pre–post design with overweight/obese, sedentary, middle-aged or older, Spanish-speaking rural Latinas (n = 15). Outcome measures included weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, dietary behavior, and self-efficacy for diet and physical activity. Process outcomes included attendance, end of class surveys, mid-program evaluation survey, and a post-program focus group. We calculated means and standard deviations, paproired t-tests, and Cohen’s D effect size. Qualitative data were analyzed using qualitative description. Significant changes pre- to post-program included weight (−1.5 kg; p = 0.009), BMI (−0.6; p = 0.005), waist circumference (−3.0 cm; p = 0.008), 6-minute walk test (69.7 m; p < 0.001), frequency of sugar-added drink consumption (−0.7 servings; p = 0.008), fruit and vegetable intake (1.3 servings; p = 0.035), and physical activity self-efficacy (0.9 points; p = 0.022). Participants found the program motivating and enjoyable, and on average participants attended 62% of classes and fidelity was maintained. This pilot study suggests that this culturally adapted physical activity and nutrition program for rural Latinas shows promise in improving physical activity, diet, and obesity.
Highlights
Poor diet and physical inactivity are key contributors to overweight and obesity, which are associated with premature mortality, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, low quality of life, depression and anxiety, body pain, and difficulty with physical
This paper describes results of the process outcomes and behavioral and health outcomes from the pilot study of the adapted program, Mujeres Fuertes y Corazones Saludables
We assessed the efficacy and feasibility of an adapted physical activity and nutrition program for rural Latinas. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence to suggest that Mujeres Fuertes y Corazones Saludables can improve weight, fitness, physical activity, and diet in rural Latinas
Summary
Poor diet and physical inactivity are key contributors to overweight and obesity, which are associated with premature mortality, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, low quality of life, depression and anxiety, body pain, and difficulty with physicalInt. Poor diet and physical inactivity are key contributors to overweight and obesity, which are associated with premature mortality, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, low quality of life, depression and anxiety, body pain, and difficulty with physical. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 630; doi:10.3390/ijerph16040630 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 630 functioning [1,2,3]. Half of U.S adults meet recommended levels of physical activity, and for all adult age groups fewer women meet physical activity guidelines than men [4]. While 53% of non-Hispanic U.S adults meet the guidelines, only 43% of Latino adults do [4]. Latino adults typically have poorer diets and higher rates of obesity than non-Hispanic whites [5]
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