The Live Well, Be Well study: a community-based, translational lifestyle program to lower diabetes risk factors in ethnic minority and lower-socioeconomic status adults.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated a community-based, translational lifestyle program to reduce diabetes risk in lower-socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnic minority adults.


METHODS
Through an academic-public health department partnership, community-dwelling adults at risk for diabetes were randomly assigned to individualized lifestyle counseling delivered primarily via telephone by health department counselors or a wait-list control group. Primary outcomes (6 and 12 months) were fasting glucose level, triglycerides, high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, weight, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure. Secondary outcomes included diet, physical activity, and health-related quality of life.


RESULTS
Of the 230 participants, study retention was 92%. The 6-month group differences for weight and triglycerides were significant. The intervention group lost 2 pounds more than did the control group (P=.03) and had decreased triglyceride levels (difference in change, 23 mg/dL; P=.02). At 6 months, the intervention group consumed 7.7 fewer grams per day of fat (P=.05) and more fruits and vegetables (P=.02) than did control participants.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite challenges designing effective translational interventions for lower-SES and minority communities, this program modestly improved some diabetes risk factors. Thus, individualized, telephone-based models may be a promising alternative to group-based interventions.
Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. alka.kanaya@ucsf.edu
Alka M
AM
Kanaya
Jasmine
J
Santoyo-Olsson
Steven
S
Gregorich
Melanie
M
Grossman
Tanya
T
Moore
Anita L
AL
Stewart
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D003376:Counseling; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone