Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111241

Krista Hanni, PhD, MS¹, John Snider, MPH², Elsa Mendoza, MPH², and Marilyn A. Winkleby, PhD, MPH³. (1) Epidemiology Unit, Monterey County Health Department, 1270 Natividad Road, Salinas, CA 93906, 831 755 4586, hannikd@co.monterey.ca.us, (2) Community Health Division, Monterey County Health Department, 1270 Natividad Road, Salinas, CA 93906, (3) Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford School of Medicine, 211 Quarry Road, Room 229, Stanford, CA 94305-5705

In 2003, the Monterey County Health Department was one of 12 recipients in the nation to be awarded a “Steps to a Healthier U.S.” grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This 5-year project incorporates community-based interventions, which focus on Latinos and other medically underserved populations in Salinas, California. The main objective is to reduce the city's high prevalences of obesity, diabetes, and asthma through policy and organizational change. Novel community partners in this project are fast food franchises and taquerias that have been documented as having a large influence on food consumption patterns in this community. We conducted a baseline survey of all fast food franchises (n=38) and taquerias (n=35) in Salinas in 2004 to evaluate the availability of healthy food choices including special meal options for people with diabetes. While the majority of both fast food franchises and taquerias (78%) offered a variety of healthy drinks (two or more choices of water, low fat milk, 100% fruit juice, etc.), few labeled any adult meals as low-fat or healthy (21% of fast food restaurants, 0% of taquerias) and none labeled any meals for diabetics. These and other findings from the survey are being used to guide the partnership between the health department and the fast food franchises/taquerias to develop healthy menu choices, a chronic disease awareness program for customers, on-site diabetes and risk assessments, and to introduce toys and informational items that promote physical activity.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Discuss the Salud! Salinas Steps to a Healthier US program.
• List the findings of a community wide survey of fast food restaurants and taquerias in a primarily Latino community.
• Develop methods for assisting fast food restaurants and taquerias in a primarily Latino community in the development of culturally competent healthy food options and health-oriented customer services.

Keywords: Community-Based Partnership, Survey

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation