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Family-based interventions that incorporate culturally-tailored multi-component curricula and are grounded on evidence-based information and theoretical frameworks can help reduce the prevalence of obesity among Hispanic children. Abriendo Caminos: Clearing the Path to Hispanic Health is a multi-site culturally-tailored randomized control trial that aims to reduce obesity rates in Hispanic families by delivering education on nutrition, family wellness, and physical activity. This study evaluated the effect of the Abriendo Caminos six-week intervention on dietary behaviors of Hispanic children (6–18 years). Mothers (n = 365) reported their child’s eating behavior intake using the U.S. Department of Education’s Early Childhood Longitudinal Study protocol (ECLS). Pre/post dietary changes were evaluated using separate generalized estimating equation models adjusted for site, child sex, and child age group. Findings indicate a reduction in the frequency of sugar-sweetened beverages (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.35, 0.87, p = 0.01), French fries (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.36, 0.86, p = 0.009), and fast food (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36, 0.84, p = 0.006) consumption among children in the intervention arm. Additionally, children in the intervention arm increased their frequency of vegetable consumption (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.08, 3.12, p = 0.03). The Abriendo Caminos intervention effectively improved four of eight eating behaviors in a short-term intervention.

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Objectives Elevated serum uric acid (HUA) levels have been shown to have a positive correlation with metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors. In countries where rates of MetS continue to increase, such as Mexico, it is important to identify reliable and inexpensive markers that will aid in predicting the development of MetS. Our aim was to evaluate the association between serum uric acid (UA) and MetS risk factors in young Mexican adults. Risk factors include glucose (GLU), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), waist circumference (WC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and body mass index (BMI). Methods Mexican college applicants involved in the Universities of San Luis Potosí and Illinois: Multidisciplinary Investigation on Obesity, Genetics and Socio-environment (UP AMIGOS) cohort (ages 18–25, n = 747, 56% female) underwent a health screening following an overnight fast. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measurements, and blood pressure were collected. According to the literature, HUA levels are defined as ≥7 and ≥6 mg/dL for males and females, respectively. T-tests were conducted to compare mean differences of MetS risk components between individuals with and without HUA levels. Analyses were conducted separately by sex. Results The mean ± SD of UA was 5.73 ± 1.32 mg/dL and 4.39 ± 1.19 mg/dL for males and females, respectively. Males and females with HUA had significantly higher TG, and WC, and lower HDL (all P < 0.001). HUA was positively correlated with WC (R2 = 0.331, SBP (R2 = 0.151), DBP (R2 = 0.176), GLU (R2 = 0.863), TG (R2 = 0.424) and BMI (R2 = 0.363). In contrast, HDL was negatively correlated with HUA (R2 = -0.277), as hypothesized. All Pearson correlations were adjusted for age and sex and statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusions Serum UA has a strong correlation with MetS risk factors in young Mexican adults. Routine monitoring of serum UA could be utilized as an inexpensive early predictor of MetS, which would allow for early interventions to aid in preventing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Funding Sources This study was funded by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hath Projects to M.T.-G. Funding was also provided by the Univerdidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosí to support C.A.-G.