title: Effectiveness of the Pasos Adelante chronic disease prevention and control program in a US-Mexico border community, 2005-2008.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pasos Adelante is a lifestyle intervention program facilitated by community health workers (promotores) targeting chronic disease prevention and control in Mexican Americans. Initial studies of Pasos Adelante indicated significant improvements in self-reported nutrition and physical activity. This study examined whether Pasos Adelante participants living in a US border community showed improvements in selected physiological measures after participating in the program and whether changes were maintained at 3-month follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  The program took place in 12-week sessions from January 2005 to May 2008 and included walking groups and education targeting nutrition and physical activity. Questionnaires, anthropometric measures, and laboratory tests were conducted at baseline (n = 305), conclusion of program (n = 254), and 3-month follow-up (n = 221).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants demonstrated decreases in body mass index (P = .04), waist and hip circumference (P < .001), diastolic and systolic blood pressure (P < .001), and total cholesterol (P = .008) from baseline to program conclusion. No values worsened significantly between program conclusion and follow-up, except systolic blood pressure. Glucose levels improved between conclusion and follow-up (P = .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the initial findings of improvements in participants' self-reported physical activity and nutrition patterns through changes in objective measures. This evidence-based program demonstrates the potential for a promotores-facilitated chronic disease prevention and control program to improve physical health and targets both primary and secondary prevention in Hispanic communities and organizations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Indiana University, 714 North Senate Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. lkstaten@iupui.edu
authors.forename: Lisa K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Staten
authors.forename: Christina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cutshaw
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reinschmidt
authors.forename: Rosie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Denise J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Roe
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States