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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 50% of all post-Millennial youths will be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during their lifetime. Latinos are the group that is likely to be the most susceptible to the disease.
Two nursing school students from Arizona State University (ASU), Tatianna Alvarado and Jamie Karch have taken on roles in a community-based diabetes prevention program aimed at Latino youths called “Every Little Step Counts.”
“Many of my family members have diabetes and my mother is a type 2 diabetic,” Alvarado said. “The last year of high school I took care of her. I’d interact with her, told her what diabetes was … but there was only so much I could do as a daughter.”
The program is funded by a $1.2 grant from the National Institute of Minority Health and Disparity. Its goal is to reduce obesity-related health concerns among Latino adolescents. To date, 160 obese Latino youths, ages 14-16, have been enrolled in the program
In addition to nutrition classes, the youths participate in physical activity sessions and receive a free membership to the YMCA and are eligible to participate in nutrition classes at ASU’s Nutrition Kitchen.
“I’m closer in age to these kids and have gone through what they’ve gone through,” Alvarado said. “Age is a big thing and they feel they can come to me for advice.”
By The Numbers
25.1
percent
of Latinos remain without health insurance coverage
