# Improving Outcomes Among Mexican and Central-American Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

> **NIH NIH K23** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $172,741

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a highly prevalent public health problem that disproportionately
hurts Mexican and Central Americans (M/CA). Weight loss through behavioral changes in diet and physical
activity can lead to reductions in liver fat, injury, and fibrosis, but is rarely successfully achieved. Targeted
behavioral weight loss interventions may improve the outcomes of M/CA patients with NAFLD. However, little
is known about the personal, cognitive, and social factors that, if changed, may lead to improved weight loss
rates and avert complications. The objective of this proposal is to identify the barriers to health behavior
change experienced by M/CA patients with NAFLD and to adapt and test a weight loss intervention to address
their needs.
Dr. Maya Balakrishnan is a clinician investigator with a strong foundation in clinical hepatology and
epidemiology that has positioned her to advance toward her goal of improving NAFLD outcomes among
minority communities. Through this NIMHD K23 Mentored Patient Oriented Career Development Award, Dr.
Balakrishnan will obtain experience in developing, implementing, and testing behavioral interventions, with a
special focus on weight loss among M/CA patients with NAFLD. She will train in qualitative methods to gain an
in-depth understanding of patients’ experience with weight loss behaviors. She will gain experience in the
adaptation, implementation, and testing of behavioral interventions in the context of health disparities.
With her inter-disciplinary team of mentors, Dr. Balakrishnan intends to use the Harris County NAFLD Cohort,
a unique cohort of predominantly M/CA patients with NAFLD, as the source of data and participants for her
proposed aims. Among M/CA patients with NAFLD, she will 1) identify the personal, cognitive and socio-
structural barriers to weight loss behavioral change (Aim 1), 2) adapt the Look AHEAD lifestyle intervention for
their needs through feedback from patients and expert stakeholders using an Ecological Validity Model (Aim 2)
and 3) assess the feasibility and acceptability of the adapted intervention among M/CA patients with NAFLD
(Aim 3).
Dr. Balakrishnan has the full institutional support of leaders at Baylor College of Medicine and its vibrant and
nurturing research environment. The training plan and research strategy in this K23 application will afford Dr.
Balakrishnan the time, mentorship, and foundational data necessary to successfully transition into an
independently funded investigator.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10832097
- **Project number:** 5K23MD016955-03
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Maya Balakrishnan
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $172,741
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-08-22 → 2027-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10832097

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10832097, Improving Outcomes Among Mexican and Central-American Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (5K23MD016955-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10832097. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*