Salud--Interactive Meal Plan for Hispanics with Diabetes

This project will design and develop an interactive meal planning program for Hispanics withdiabetes. The Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicated that the prevalence of adultonset diabetes and its complications among Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans runs two to threetimes higher than that observed in non-Hispanic White populations. There is a need to develop culturallyrelevant materials for Hispanics with diabetes. Phase I will test the feasibility of developing a bilingualprogram using images, sound, and text for assisting adult Hispanic Diabetics in planning a meal thatconforms to a prescribed plan. The product in Phase I is a prototype of the program illustrating 3 meals.Pictures of Hispanic foods displayed on the computer monitor will guide the meal planning process.Feedback will be given in terms of exchanges and actual amounts of carbohydrates (complex andsimple), protein, total and saturated fat. Small scale testing of the prototype program will be conductedusing volunteer Hispanics with adult diabetes. The purpose is to test the functionality and culturalsensitivity of the interface. If Phase I results are positive, Phase II will focus on full development of theprogram.