SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR CHRONIC HEALTH DISPARITIES IN LATINO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. - OBESITY AND RELATED CHRONIC DISEASES, TYPE 2 DIABETES, NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE, AND DYSLIPIDEMIA CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN THE U.S., AND LATINOS ARE DISPROPORTIONALLY AFFECTED. THESE DISPARITIES BEGIN IN EARLY LIFE, OCCUR WITHIN FAMILIES, AND ARE DRIVEN BY MULTI-LEVEL FACTORS, INCLUDING INDIVIDUAL (DIET, EATING BEHAVIORS), SOCIAL (CULTURAL VALUES, ECONOMIC FACTORS), AND ENVIRONMENTAL (ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOODS, CHEMICAL EXPOSURES SUCH AS AIR POLLUTION). THESE FACTORS INTERACT TO AFFECT LATINO HEALTH BUT ARE RARELY STUDIED IN A HOLISTIC MANNER. OUR OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE MULTI-LEVEL FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO MULTIPLE CHRONIC DISEASE DISPARITIES IN LATINOS ACROSS THE LIFE COURSE, AND TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE FAMILY-BASED, CULTURALLY SENSITIVE SOLUTIONS. WE PROPOSE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AMBITIOUS GOAL BY ESTABLISHING THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR CHRONIC HEALTH DISPARITIES

Summary

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR CHRONIC HEALTH DISPARITIES IN LATINO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. - OBESITY AND RELATED CHRONIC DISEASES, TYPE 2 DIABETES, NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE, AND DYSLIPIDEMIA CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN THE U.S., AND LATINOS ARE DISPROPORTIONALLY AFFECTED. THESE DISPARITIES BEGIN IN EARLY LIFE, OCCUR WITHIN FAMILIES, AND ARE DRIVEN BY MULTI-LEVEL FACTORS, INCLUDING INDIVIDUAL (DIET, EATING BEHAVIORS), SOCIAL (CULTURAL VALUES, ECONOMIC FACTORS), AND ENVIRONMENTAL (ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOODS, CHEMICAL EXPOSURES SUCH AS AIR POLLUTION). THESE FACTORS INTERACT TO AFFECT LATINO HEALTH BUT ARE RARELY STUDIED IN A HOLISTIC MANNER. OUR OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE MULTI-LEVEL FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO MULTIPLE CHRONIC DISEASE DISPARITIES IN LATINOS ACROSS THE LIFE COURSE, AND TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE FAMILY-BASED, CULTURALLY SENSITIVE SOLUTIONS. WE PROPOSE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AMBITIOUS GOAL BY ESTABLISHING THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR CHRONIC HEALTH DISPARITIES