RT Journal
A1 Mieres JH, Phillips LM
T1 The interdisciplinary approach to culturally tailored medical care: “social networking” for decreasing risk: comment on “the effects of a nurse case manager and and a community health worker team on diabetic control, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations among urban african americans with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial” and 
“trial of family and friend support for weight loss in african american adults”
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 2009
FD October 26
VO 169
IS 19
SP 1804
OP 1805
DO 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.356
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2009.356
AB 
Recent data show that 69% percent of African American men and 81% percent of African American women are overweight, primarily because of dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle.3 The relationship between obesity and the establishment of diabetes has been well established.4 The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in persons older than 20 years has been shown by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be 14.7% in the African American community, nearly 50% higher than the 10.7% population average in the United States.5 Weight loss is an effective strategy for decreasing the rate of the development of diabetes and for decreasing the complications of diabetes. However, weight loss and, just as important, maintenance of weight loss are among the most difficult goals for patients to accomplish. Successful weight management requires education, social support, and, often, an individualized approach. More data are needed on a culturally tailored approach to these issues.