title: Cuidando El Corazon--a weight-reduction intervention for Mexican Americans.
abstract: Cuidando El Corazon (CEC; Taking Care of Your Heart) was designed to assess the effectiveness of a culturally adapted weight-reduction and exercise program for achieving long-term weight loss in Mexican Americans. CEC used a family-oriented approach to achieve lifestyle change in behavior. Participants were assigned to 1) a booklet-only comparison group that received a manual including behavior change, nutrition, and exercise information and traditional recipes modified in fat content; 2) an individual group that received the same manual and attended year-long classes; or 3) a family group that received a manual and attended classes that emphasized techniques for making changes in the family's eating and exercising habits. The family and individual groups had significantly greater weight losses than the information-only group. Weight loss was greatest in the family-involvement group and least in the information-only comparison group.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Foreyt
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cousins
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D015431:Weight Loss