Cultural Adaptation of the Group Lifestyle Balance Program for Chinese Americans.
The purpose of this pilot study was to develop and evaluate a culturally adapted, language-translated diabetes prevention program for Chinese Americans.



This pilot study had a single-group repeated-measures design. Participants were 25 first-generation (n = 20) or second-generation (n = 5) Chinese Americans at risk for diabetes because of overweight (using the Asian-specific criterion of body mass index ≥ 23) and either prediabetes or metabolic syndrome. The 16-session program was administered over 6 months in separate Mandarin (n = 9) and English (n = 16) groups. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Four participants dropped out. Multilevel regression models were used to examine change in study outcomes over time.



Participants lost an average of 5.4% of their body weight across the 6 months of the study. Self-report questionnaires suggested improved dietary intake and increased physical activity. Both total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels improved. There were no statistically significant changes in fasting plasma glucose or A1C levels. Participants reported high satisfaction with and acceptance of the program.



Results suggest that the culturally adapted Group Lifestyle Balance program for Chinese Americans was both acceptable and effective. The culturally adapted program warrants further examination using scientific approaches for dissemination and implementation.
Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California (Dr Chesla, Dr Gay, Dr Hernandez)
Catherine A
CA
Chesla
University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California (Dr Chun)
Kevin M
KM
Chun
Donaldina Cameron House, San Francisco, California (Ms Kwong)
Yulanda
Y
Kwong
Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California (Dr Chesla, Dr Gay, Dr Hernandez)
Caryl L
CL
Gay
Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California (Dr Chi)
Han-Lin
HL
Chi
San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California (Ms Gu)
Yunzi
Y
Gu
Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California (Dr Chesla, Dr Gay, Dr Hernandez)
Lenore
L
Hernandez
Diabetes Teaching Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California (Ms Huang)
Peggy
P
Huang
Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, Oregon (Ms Strycker)
Lisa A
LA
Strycker
University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (Dr Ma)
Jun
J
Ma
D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D065246:Culturally Competent Care / Q000379:methods*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000208:ethnology*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors