| In the United States, approximately 1 in 3 children are overweight, and 1 in 5 obese, conditions associated with increased risk of metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes. Treatment of type 2 diabetes is costly and not always effective, thus, prevention offers the best course of "treatment". However, few diabetes prevention programs are accessible to at-risk children, or involve their caregivers. The E.P.I.C. Kids study is a family-focused community-based diabetes prevention program developed in partnership with the YMCA of Southern Arizona, targeting 9-12-yr-olds at risk of diabetes, and led by YMCA lifestyle coaches. In this 12-week pilot study, we assessed the metabolic risk of participants and investigated changes in metabolic biomarkers following the intervention. |
