There is an obesity epidemic in the United States, with increased incidence of Type II diabetes. There is evidence of racial and ethnic disparities in these rates. Use the conceptual model Axis of Nested Hierarchies outlined in Glass et al (2006) as a guide to develop dynamic hypotheses that could explain racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes rates. Address multiple levels in mapping individual, social, and institutional factors. Not all levels need be incorporated, but multiple levels from genomic [underwater] to global [uphill] must be considered. Include facilitators and barriers