Efficacy of a Community- and Family-Based Intervention on Cardiovascular Fitness and Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Factors Among Primarily Latino Families

Abstract

Background

Targeting cardiovascular fitness (CVF), rather than weight loss, may be a more acceptable and feasible outcome among Latinos.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to test the short-term efficacy of Athletes for Life (AFL), a fitness- and lifestyle-focused behavioral intervention to improve CVF and performance among Latino families.

Methods

Latino parent-child dyads (n = 137) were randomized to either AFL program or a waitlist control condition. AFL consisted of 24 group family-based, nutrition and sport/fitness oriented 90-minute sessions (twice-weekly). Measures included 1-mile run/walk time, three-minute step test, accelerometer-measured physical activity, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, DEXA-measured % body fat, cardiometabolic risk biomarkers, and sociodemographic characteristics. Group differences at post-intervention were tested using ANCOVA analyses adjusting for outcome values at baseline and demographic variables.

Results

Parents were primarily female (93%), aged 38.3 ± 6.9 years, and 96% Latino and children were 8.8 ± 1.7 years old and 58% female. Intervention participants showed significantly faster adjusted post-intervention 1-mile run/walk times compared to control group participants (difference of −76.6 seconds P < 0.01 and −44 seconds P = 0.04, respectively). Parents also showed a significantly higher adjusted relative VO₂ max (ml/kg/min) compared to control group parents (43.91, SE = 0.41 vs 42.93, SE = 0.44, respectively, P < 0.01). There were no significant post-intervention group differences on physical activity, BMI, waist circumference, % body fat or cardiometabolic biomarkers P > 0.05.

Conclusions

The AFL program successfully improved aerobic performance among underserved Latino families with no observable changes in adiposity. These results support that fitness may be a more viable and acceptable outcome among Latino families than weight loss.