PREVENTING DIABETES--A MOHAWK COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

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The goal of this proposal is to facilitate the establishment of an enduring community commitment to promoting and maintaining healthy lifestyles that include increased physical activity, reduced consumption of fatty foods and decreased excessive weight gain in 5-10 year old children with the long term objective of reducing non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM) in the Mohawk living in Akwesasne. During the spring and summer of 1996, year 3 measurements of food preference were made in all children in the Mohawk school; measurements of height, weight, skinfolds, bioelectrical impedance, waist/hip circumference, dietary intake and activity were made in 138/143 children entered in the evaluation section of the study in year 1 and 43 4-6 year olds entering the Mohawk school and the study in year 3; and assessments of knowledge attitudes and behaviors to diet and physical activity in 80 parents. The results show that over 2 years BMI adjusted for age has not changed while percent body fat has increased. Dietary fat intake and percent dietary fat intake has decreased. However activity levels have also decreased. A significant number of children are overweight by the age of 5 indicating that energy imbalance is occurring in preschool children and being sustained as children grow. The findings reinforce the need to focus on increasing energy expenditure as well as continuing to reduce excess energy intake as a strategy for regaining appropriate weight gain as children grow. The findings also suggest that while even young children know about healthy foods, their eating behavior is mainly guided by food preferences. Hence intervention designed to influence food preferences need to be introduced early. Data analysis was begun, in collaboration with the GCRC Biostatistician.