# Social networks, acculturation, and food behaviors and values among Mexican-American families

> **NIH NIH R21** · GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH POLICY · 2020 · $209,239

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is two to three times higher among Mexican Americans than non-Latino
whites, and Mexican Americans are more likely to develop diabetes at younger ages and suffer higher rates of
complications. Many of these complications could be reduced substantially by targeting health behaviors such
as diet and exercise; however, research has shown that, for Mexican Americans, healthful diet-related
behaviors, as well as obesity prevalence, decrease with greater acculturation, including years in the U.S. or
English-language adoption. Social networks play an important role in obesity and diet through social support,
access to resources, social engagement, and social norms. However, an important and unanswered question
is the extent to which less-healthy food behaviors and values are diffused across social networks among
Mexican Americans and whether the diffusion of food behaviors and values differs by acculturation status.
The goal of this proposal, in response to PAR-16-064 `Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity
in Health-Research (R21),' is to examine the influence of the personal social networks of Mexican American
families on food behaviors and values as well as objectively measured health outcomes (i.e., hbA1c and BMI).
This project will build on our ongoing collaborations large Catholic churches in Los Angeles and New York by
examining two specific aims: (1) To quantitatively characterize the personal networks of English-dominant and
Spanish-dominant Mexican American families and test the network characteristics that are associated with
unhealthful eating patterns, diabetes, and obesity and (2) To qualitatively explore how social networks
influence English-dominant and Spanish-dominant Mexican American families' food behaviors and values. We
will explore group differences in social networks between 81 Spanish-dominant and 81 English-dominant
Mexican-American adults attending Sunday services at large Catholic churches. We will then select 25
information-rich cases for in-depth interviews and ethnographic observations, which will allow us to gain
insights into food behaviors and values that may be socially transmitted. This study will provide preliminary
data to develop an R34 application targeting specific social network features that influence diabetes-related
behaviors among this vulnerable population. This study represents an important step in Dr. Karen Flórez's
progress towards becoming an independent New Investigator and will advance the NIDDK's mission to
increase diversity in health-related research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9937704
- **Project number:** 5R21DK114630-03
- **Recipient organization:** GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH POLICY
- **Principal Investigator:** Karen Rocio Florez
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $209,239
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-10 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9937704

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9937704, Social networks, acculturation, and food behaviors and values among Mexican-American families (5R21DK114630-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9937704. Licensed CC0.

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