Purpose: Heart disease is the second leading cause of death among Latinas. Yet, only 1 in 3 Latinas are aware that heart disease poses a threat to their health. The menopause transition is associated with an increase in many risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. While nutrition and physical activity programs have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease in women, few of these programs have focused on women during the menopause transition and none have targeted Latinas in this life stage. This 4-year pilot community-based study is testing whether a lifestyle intervention (nutrition education, physical activity, stress management, coping skills training) culturally-tailored for Latinas can lower the risk of heart disease in Latinas.

Funding: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (K23MD014767, 2019-2023)