Tu Salud Si Cuenta Worksite: Pilot Intervention Study

Obesity has not only been increasing over the past three decades (Wang & Beydoun, 2007; Wang & Zhang, 2002), it is predicted to increase in the future until by 2048 all American adults would be overweight (Wang, Beydoun, Liang, Caballero, Kumanyika, 2008). Moreover, the majority of Mexican American men and women are predicted to be overweight and obese by 2030 (91.1% and 86.7% respectively).

The proposed intervention research study is building from existing intervention strategies designed for the Mexican American population entitled Tu Salud Si Cuenta. This intervention highlights in the media successful role models who have changed their food choices and physical activity levels. In addition the intervention designs environmental changes to help community members carry out recommended behavior change strategies. Outcomes of interest for this study include increased physical activity so as to achieve the CDC/ACSM recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week (Haskell et al., 2007), eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, reducing food portion sizes, and subsequent changes in biomarkers of health.

This proposed worksite pilot study will be testing a new feature to the TSSC intervention by designing worksite promotion intervention strategies to promote physical activity and healthful food choices through environmental change strategies at the worksite. The same full scope of behavioral and clinical outcomes of interest will be examined in this pilot.

The participants in this study will be male and female employees of two worksites, aged 18-65 years. A convenience sample will be used for this study. Employees from State Department of Public Health Region 11 Harlingen Office or City of Brownsville will be recruited. Supervisors from both sites have provided letters of support for this project and have agreed to allow recruitment. Employees will be contacted with informational flyers and e-mails sent by the supervisors providing the letters of support. Interested adults will be sent an interest letter and informed consent. Data collection will proceed after the participant completes the informed consent form and provides documentation of physician's clearance to participate in physical activity.

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a worksite-based physical activity and healthful food choice, intervention among two worksites in the Lower Rio Grande Valley who employ primarily Mexican American personnel.