Weight stigma is associated with adverse physiological and psychological outcomes. This conclusion highlights the need to increase public and professional awareness about the issue of weight stigma and the importance of the further development of assessment and prevention strategies of weight stigma.

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Type 2 diabetes is increasing among youth, with minority youth at highest risk. This preliminary study tested the feasibility of a school-based program to prevent type 2 diabetes in youth at risk. Forty-one participants (age 12.6 +/- 1.1 years; 63% female, 51% African American, 44% Hispanic, and 5% Caucasian) were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both the experimental and control groups received nutrition education and exercise training. The experimental group also received coping skills training. Data collected included body mass index (BMI), insulin resistance, dietary intake (24-Hour Food Recall), self-efficacy (Health Behavior Questionnaire), activity (Revised Godin-Shepard Activity Survey), and parents' health promoting behaviors (Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile III). At baseline BMI ranged from 27 to 53 (M = 36.2 +/- 6.0), and 95% (n = 39) demonstrated insulin resistance or pre-diabetes on an oral glucose tolerance test. After 12 months, the experimental group showed trends in improved usual food choices (p = .1) and increased dietary knowledge (p = .3). They also demonstrated lower glucose (p = .07) and insulin levels (p = .2). Experimental group parents demonstrated improved health responsibility (p = .03), healthier nutrition choices (p = .05), improved stress management skills (p = .05), increased activity (p = .2), and increased spirituality (p = .2). Data suggest a school-based program tailored to multiethnic youth may prove successful in helping these youth increase activity, improve nutrition status, and stabilize glucose and insulin metabolism, and also may be effective in changing parent health behavior.

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Diabetes group visits that combined diabetes self-management education and a medical visit with a health care provider improved A1C and were well received by the patients. The study provided patients with a quality program in an environment in which they felt safe to learn and that met them where they were in their diabetes self-management behaviors. This approach could be widely disseminated into other clinic settings that serve patients with type 2 diabetes.