Factors Associated With Diet and Exercise Among Overweight and Obese Older Hispanics With Diabetes

Abstract

Understanding personal and family support factors influencing lifestyles among older overweight and obese Hispanics with type 2 diabetes is critical for enhancing disease management. A survey was administered to 115 respondents recruited using convenience sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for analyses. More than two thirds of participants have never received diabetes education. Family support was significantly associated with diet. Gender, marital status, and education were associated with exercise. Diabetes education was associated with both diet and exercise. Familybased diabetes education in community settings may be an effective strategy for promoting healthy behaviors among older overweight/obese Hispanics.

Discussing End-of-Life Care Preferences With Family: Role of Race and Ethnicity

“…Other research has found lesser adherence to familism among Hispanics, with studies showing that some of those who provide care to family members report receiving low levels of family support and do not welcome or accept their family caregiving obligations (Gelman, 2014;Mendez-Luck, Applewhite, Lara, & Toyokama, 2016). Research also has found that lower levels of family involvement and support are associated with lower levels of adherence to diabetes self-care and treatment among older adults (Mier et al, 2017). Familism describes a system in which family closeness, obligation, and support are prized values.…”

“…Research has examined the influence of familism on health behaviors. This research includes findings that values of family cohesion and support are associated with many health behaviors including diabetes treatment and self-care, with the level of treatment adherence largely depending on the level of family support (Hsin, La Greca, Valenzuela, Moine, & Delamater, 2010; Mier et al, 2017; Perez & Cruess, 2011). Other familistic values, however, have been shown to have negative effects, with findings that distress in caregivers is associated with believing that personal needs are secondary to family needs (Losada et al, 2010).…”

Improving Diabetes Education in Mexican American Older Adults

“…Approximately 25% of Americans 60 years and older have diabetes (ADA, 2020b). Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) incidence rates in older aged Hispanics have almost doubled in the past two decades and are two times higher for this group relative to older non-Hispanic White counterparts (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2018& Mier et al, 2017. Older aged adults have cognitive and physical changes which can impair their ability to comprehend diabetes education (DE).…”

“…The population described in the project is Americans of full or partial Mexican descent living in the state of Texas. Lack of culturally sensitive, age-specific DE for older aged Mexican American populations contributes to poor disease management and outcomes such as neuropathy, nephropathy, vision loss, and heart disease (CDC, 2017;Hu et al, 2016;Mier et al, 2017). Across age groups, diabetes complications are higher in Hispanic populations, affecting more than 33% of Mexican Americans and Black Americans compared with 26% of non-Hispanic White Americans (CDC, 2019).…”

“…Applying concepts of cultural competence including interpretive services, cultural awareness training, skills, knowledge, use of community health workers (CHWs), family involvement in decision making, and incorporation of specific values and attitudes are essential in health promotion (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, 2018). T2DM education for Mexican Americans is ideally delivered through programs encompassing culturally sensitive and age-specific methods (Brown et al, 2002;Cruz et al, 2013;Mier et al, 2017).…”