title: En Balance participants decrease dietary fat and cholesterol intake as part of a culturally sensitive Hispanic diabetes education program.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess dietary intake habits of Mexican American Hispanic adults participating in the En Balance diabetes education program.
  
  
  
  En Balance is a 3-month culturally sensitive diabetes education intervention for Spanish-speaking Hispanics. Of the 46 participants enrolled, 39 mainly Mexican American Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes completed the En Balance program. Participants lived in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties of California, and all participants completed the program by June 2008. Dietary intake was assessed at baseline and at 3 months using the validated Southwest Food Frequency Questionnaire.
  
  
  
  Clinically important decreases in glycemic control and serum lipid levels were observed at the end of the 3-month program. The baseline diet was characterized by a high intake of energy (2478 ± 1140 kcal), total fat (87 ± 44 g/day), saturated fat (28 ± 15 g/day), dietary cholesterol (338 ± 217 mg/day), and sodium (4236 ± 2055 mg/day). At 3 months, the En Balance group mean intake of dietary fat (P = .045) and dietary cholesterol (P = .033) decreased significantly. Low dietary intakes of docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and vitamin E were also observed in these adults with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  
  The En Balance program improved glycemic control and lipid profiles in a group of Hispanic diabetic participants. En Balance also promoted decreases in dietary fat and dietary cholesterol intake.
authors.affiliation: The Loma Linda University, Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Loma Linda, California (Ms Salto, Dr Cordero-MacIntyre, Dr De Leon)|Loma Linda University, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Loma Linda, California (Ms Salto, Dr Beeson)
authors.forename: Lorena M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Salto
authors.affiliation: The Loma Linda University, Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Loma Linda, California (Ms Salto, Dr Cordero-MacIntyre, Dr De Leon)|Loma Linda University, School of Public Health, Department of Nutrition, Loma Linda, California (Dr Cordero-MacIntyre)
authors.forename: Zaida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cordero-MacIntyre
authors.affiliation: Loma Linda University, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Loma Linda, California (Ms Salto, Dr Beeson)
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beeson
authors.affiliation: Loma Linda University, School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California (Dr Schulz, Dr De Leon)
authors.forename: Eloy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: JL Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center, Endocrinology, Loma Linda, California (Dr Firek)
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Firek
authors.affiliation: Loma Linda University, School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California (Dr Schulz, Dr De Leon)
authors.forename: Marino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Leon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D054521:Cultural Competency; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012648:Self Care
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004041:Dietary Fats