Filipino Americans (FA) are the second largest (3.4 million) Asian group in the US, and the largest (1.5 million) in California, and have the highest prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) compared to non-Hispanic whites, African Americans and Hispanics. However, there has been little health related research among FA. Improving physical activity (PA) and diet can prevent or delay T2DM, as evidenced by the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention, resulting in reducing T2DM risks. However, implementing the DPP has been expensive and labor intensive. A more cost-effective approach may be the use of mobile technologies coupled with social networking. Filipinos (95%) are avid mobile phone users and the leading Facebook users. Thus, we propose to test a culturally competent mobile phone-based Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle and social networking (in-person and virtual) intervention in a pilot 3-month randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a wait list active control design for 50 overweight FA at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
