Diabetes among Hispanic People in Texas and the Potential Efficacy of Community-Based

Abstract

The southern American state of Texas has a high density of Hispanic settlers who mainly cross the porous border into Texas from South American countries like Mexico and Brazil. Over time, an alarming number of Hispanic youths settled in Texas have been diagnosed with diabetes. According to statistical data for the past three decades, there has been an alarming rise of nearly 300% in the number of Hispanic people who have been diagnosed with diabetes. This research projects attempts to explain how this alarming trend poses a serious health risk to the community and proposes a number of immediate diagnostic and preventive measures that, after designing and execution at the community level, will effectively identify the root causes of the disease in the target population and significantly reduce the risk that the Hispanic population has of diabetes.

Diabetes among Hispanic People in Texas and the Potential Efficacy of Community-Based

Objective of the Research project

The main purpose of this research project is to ascertain whether an innovative health promotion model can aid the detection of diabetes among a target population of Hispanic youths in the state of Texas, USA. The proposed health model used in the research project is essentially a comprehensive community-oriented screening process that can be used to provide timely treatment to those subjects who have been tested positive. Furthermore, latest data on personal health of Texas-based Hispanic youths has registered a sharp decline in recent years and the major cause that has been identified as being associated with increased risk of diabetes is uncontrolled weight gain during early childhood and adolescence. This research project will execute an innovative disease-prevention strategy in the Hispanic community of Texas.

Introduction

An unprecedented and alarming rise in cases of obesity in the United States has brought the issue of diabetes risk among American children under the spotlight. Recent data suggests that from the total number of American children enrolled in elementary schools, the percentage of children who have been tested for having a risk of diabetes has increased by a staggering 300% over the last three decades since 1980 (Parsad& Lewis, 2006). Moreover, the change has largely been triggered by families that constitute the middle class and lower middle class. Health experts have established that any child with a BMI (Body-Mass index) exceeding 95% runs a serious risk of uncontrolled weight gain (McDonnell et al., 2006).

A majority of school cafeterias in the United States provide their students with fast food and junk food, both of which are quick as well as simple to prepare. The use of artificial food substances and preservatives is also common used in lunch programs whereas vending machines are also placed at strategic points to encourage young children to purchase snacks in order to satiate their appetite. This shift toward obesity and being overweight has led to a significant increase in serious health concerns, such as diabetes. Medical experts mainly link diabetes to obesity, inactivity and genetic risk ...