Effects of Service Learning Strategies on Developing the Overtown Cookbook

Systemic barriers to accessing culturally appropriate nutrition information contribute to racial disparities in disease morbidity. Diabetes mortality rates among the Black population in Miami are 40% higher than the general population. Overtown, a historic Black community, is one of the most impoverished urban communities in Miami suffering the highest disease rates. Our pilot-study generated the concept of the “Overtown Diet” as a community based participatory research (CBPR) nutrition program. Shared decision-making led to a service-learning strategy for initial phases of the project. Reliance on volunteers necessitated iterative and flexible strategies to seek mutual gain, and sensitivity to the needs of all participants. In partnership with high school students, academic partners, a local restaurant, and current and past residents of Overtown, we examined behavioral and cultural obstacles to optimal health and created a novel nutrition education curriculum, as initial steps in the development of a community-wide intervention. The Overtown Cookbook project endeavors to increase awareness of health risks associated with poor dietary intake and disseminate nutritious recipes that preserve traditional culinary tastes representative of the community. Concepts addressed are ingredient substitutions, efficacious beliefs, cultural norms, cost barriers, and transgenerational and community effects. Program activities include recipe construction, food preparation, taste-testing, and content development for website and educational literature which will lead to production of a health-conscious cookbook grounded in local culture. Community collaboration facilitated genesis, framing, and implementation of the project. This experience suggests service learning may serve as a tool to foster relationship development and trust to advance CBPR principles.