A Review of Physical Activity Interventions in a Hispanic/Latino Population with Elevated Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Context: Hispanic/Latino adults are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to non-Hispanic white adults. Regular physical activity can help reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus and obesity. Standard prevention programs have not shown the same level of effectiveness in the Hispanic/Latino population.

Objective: The purpose of this systematized review was to evaluate the recent literature of physical activity interventions in the Hispanic/Latino population that may lead to an increase in physical activity and reduce long-term health risks.

Design: A systematized review of recent published articles utilizing physical activity interventions in the Hispanic/Latino community. This included seven articles that were published in the past five years.

Eligibility Criteria: Hispanic/Latino adults who have not been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, but who may have certain risk factors such as pre-diabetes or obesity.

Study Selection: Sources searched were PUBMED and CINAHL. These sources were searched between December 2023 and February 2024. The search yielded 1,298 citations without duplicates. The inclusion criteria included studies in which the populations were entirely Hispanic or Latino adults, with an intervention that included the promotion of physical activity and was conducted in Spanish. Main Outcome Measures: Increasing physical activity and decreasing risk factors, such as elevated hemoglobin A1c, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and body weight.

Results: Most researchers reported an increased engagement in physical activity with their interventions. The approaches to engage participants and the end points varied in the individual studies. Researchers reported significant increases in “leisure walking” (p=0.46) or “brisk walking” (p=0.011), which also resulted in decreased sedentary time. Researchers also reported an increased likelihood of achieving Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) physical activity guideline goals of ≥150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous- physical activity per week. After 12 months of a web-based physical activity tool, those meeting the CDC physical activity guidelines logged on significantly more than those who did not meet the guidelines (p=0.002). In addition, some researchers reported significant decreases in mean body weight with increased physical activity (p=0.004).

Conclusion: In those studies that were most effective in increasing physical activity, researchers implemented structured use of technology that were customized to the Hispanic/Latino community. Additional studies need to be conducted to evaluate the appropriate level of reach and engagement to increase physical activity in the Hispanic/Latino populations.