The Latino Health Project: pilot testing a culturally adapted behavioral weight loss intervention in obese and overweight Latino adults.
Abstract
Objective
To pilot test a culturally adapted behavioral weight loss intervention in obese and overweight Latino adults.Design
Pilot study.Setting
Latino community organization in Durham, North Carolina.Participants
Overweight and obese, self-identified Latinos > or =18 years old.Intervention
Intervention consisted of 20 weekly group sessions (90-120 minutes each) incorporating motivational interviewing techniques. The intervention goal was weight loss by adopting the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern, increasing physical activity, and reducing caloric intake. The cultural adaptation included foods and physical activities commonly used in the Latino culture, using a Spanish-speaking interventionist, and conducting the intervention at a local Latino community organization.Main outcome measures
Weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, dietary pattern, and physical activity were measured at baseline and at 20 weeks.Results
A total of 56 participants are included in the final analysis. The average weight loss was 5.1 lbs (95% CI -8.7 to -1.5; P = .006); and there was a reduction in BMI of 1.3 kg/m2 (95% CI -2.2 to -0.5; P =.002) at 20 weeks. Systolic blood pressure decreased by 2.6 mm Hg (95% CI -4.7 to -0.6; P = .013).Conclusion
A culturally adapted behavioral intervention for the treatment of overweight and obesity is potentially effective in a diverse group of Latino adults.Type
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Scholars@Duke

Leonor Corsino
Dr. Leonor Corsino is a Board- Certified Adult Endocrinologist, an experienced physician-scientist, and an organizational and health professional education leader. She offers an extensive and diverse leadership background with successfully implementing innovative clinical, research, and workforce development and education programs. Her expertise and strengths lie in her diverse portfolio that expands from basic science to clinical and community-engaged research, innovative curriculum development, successful clinical program implementation, and collaborations.
Dr. Corsino's research focuses on diabetes, obesity, and related complications and health disparities, with a particular interest in Hispanic/Latino populations. She has successfully led and extensively collaborated with investigators locally, nationally, and internationally. Her research and contribution have been recognized locally and nationally with many awards, including the NIH/NIDDK Network of Minority Health Research Investigators medallion.
Dr. Corsino has extensive leadership experience, including her current roles as a member of the Executive Committee Member and Associate Director of the Duke School of Medicine Masters of Biomedical Sciences (MBS), Co-Director for the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute - Community Engagement Core / Community-Engaged Research Initiative (CERI) and Associate Dean for Students Affairs/Advisory Dean Duke School of Medicine MD program.
She is the former Co-Director, Education and Training Sub-core of the Duke Center for REsearch to AdvanCe Healthcare Equity, Director of the Duke Population Health Improvement Initiative Program, Associate Chair for the Department of Medicine Minority Recruitment and Retention Committee, and Associate Director for the Duke School of Medicine Office of Faculty Mentoring Training.
Dr. Corsino's leadership led to the successful development and implementation of unique and innovative programs, including the Duke MBS program selective curriculum, the REACH Equity Summer Undergraduate Research Program, the CTSI/CERI Population Health Improvement Award, E-library, consultation services, and the interactive platform for the Duke Population Health Improvement Program.
Her visionary and innovative initiatives have enhanced patient care, population health, and the recruitment, training, development, and support of health professions students, residents, fellows, and junior faculty, having a significant, palpable, impact on the diversity of health profession workforce and health disparities research.

Bryan Courtney Batch
Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity/Overweight, Behavior change, Non-pharmacologic intervention, Health disparities

David Isaias Ortiz-Melo
I enjoy practicing nephrology and taking care of patient with kidney disorders. As a clinician-educator in the Division of Nephrology, my clinical practice mainly focuses on the management of uncontrolled high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury and fluid and electrolyte disorders. I have particular interest in the evaluation and management of kidney disease affecting patients with cancer (onco-nephrology). In the inpatient setting, my clinical activities are focused on consultative nephrology and maintenance dialysis. In the outpatient setting, I see patients two days weekly through the Private Diagnostic Clinic. In addition, I am a rounding nephrologist at three outpatient dialysis units.

Hayden Barry Bosworth
Dr. Bosworth is a health services researcher and Deputy Director of the Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) at the Durham VA Medical Center. He is also Vice Chair of Education and Professor of Population Health Sciences. He is also a Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, and Nursing at Duke University Medical Center and Adjunct Professor in Health Policy and Administration at the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research interests comprise three overarching areas of research: 1) clinical research that provides knowledge for improving patients’ treatment adherence and self-management in chronic care; 2) translation research to improve access to quality of care; and 3) eliminate health care disparities.
Dr. Bosworth is the recipient of an American Heart Association established investigator award, the 2013 VA Undersecretary Award for Outstanding Achievement in Health Services Research (The annual award is the highest honor for VA health services researchers), and a VA Senior Career Scientist Award. In terms of self-management, Dr. Bosworth has expertise developing interventions to improve health behaviors related to hypertension, coronary artery disease, and depression, and has been developing and implementing tailored patient interventions to reduce the burden of other chronic diseases. These trials focus on motivating individuals to initiate health behaviors and sustaining them long term and use members of the healthcare team, particularly pharmacists and nurses. He has been the Principal Investigator of over 30 trials resulting in over 400 peer reviewed publications and four books. This work has been or is being implemented in multiple arenas including Medicaid of North Carolina, private payers, The United Kingdom National Health System Direct, Kaiser Health care system, and the Veterans Affairs.
Areas of Expertise: Health Behavior, Health Services Research, Implementation Science, Health Measurement, and Health Policy

Laura Pat Svetkey
Laura P. Svetkey, MD MHS is Professor of Medicine/Nephrology, Vice Chair for Faculty Development and Diversity in the Department of Medicine. She is also the Director of Duke’s CTSA-sponsored internal career development award program (KL2) and the Associate Director of Duke’s REACH Equity Disparities Research Center, in which she also leads the Investigator Development Core.
Dr. Svetkey has over 30 years of experience in the investigation of hypertension, obesity, and related areas, conducting NIH-sponsored clinical research ranging from behavioral intervention trials to metabolomics and genetics, with a consistent focus on prevention, non-pharmacologic intervention, health disparities and minority health. Her research has affected national guidelines, having served on the 2013 national Hypertension Guideline Panel (JNC) and the Lifestyle Guideline Working Group. She is an American Society of Hypertension certified hypertension specialist, and a member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP). She is the Associate Director, Core Director and Project PI of Duke’s NIH-sponsored REACH Equity Disparities Research Center (PI: Kimberly Johnson).
As Department of Medicine Vice Chair for Faculty Development and Diversity, she implements a wide range of programs to enhance the experience and advancement of faculty and trainees, with particular emphasis on those from racial and ethnic groups under-represented in medicine, and women.
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