Learning about nutrition and a healthy lifestyle with charlestown's at-risk latinos: A spanish-language intervention

Background and issues: Charlestown, Massachusetts, has approximately 2,000 Latinos, nearly all living in poverty and many with limited English skills. Thirty percent are obese. Many struggle with chronic illness and preventable health problems. Description: We endeavored to address some of the health needs of this population, in a setting that was culturally appropriate, and entirely in Spanish. We developed interactive activities that included cooking classes, exercise, and discussions about nutrition and other chronic-illness-related topics such as hypertension. Other activities included guided field trips to farmer markets, a walking club, chair yoga, and talks about stress management, domestic violence and community violence. We helped participants acquire subsidized gym memberships, and encouraged the development of life skills through goal-setting exercises. Lessons Learned: Participants appreciated learning about health topics in their native language and in layperson terms. They demonstrated health-conscious shopping by learning to read food labels in guided shopping trips. Participants developed a strong sense of community with each other in a setting where community was not an intentional outcome. Many of them were at risk for isolation or suffered from depression, and our group provided them with structure and a reason to be active. Recommendations: Health education interventions for populations with limited English skills are particularly effective when delivered in culturally sensitive settings using the native language. Creating a sense of community is important, and an effective intervention in itself, particularly in unintentional communities such as subsidized housing. Addressing life skills such as punctuality, organization, and goal setting are further recommendations.