Canyon Ranch Institute Healthy Community: Youth led hands-on cooking and nutrition demonstrations as part of a community based integrative health program addressing health literacy and chronic disease

The Canyon Ranch Institute (CRI) Healthy Community Program uses an integrative health approach based on the best practices of health literacy within schools and community centers to improve nutrition education and change behaviors for low-income families. The CRI Healthy Community program includes group sessions on fitness, stress management, and hands-on gardening. In Tucson, AZ, CRI and Apollo Middle School recruited youth in grades K-8 and parents/guardians from the surrounding low-income Hispanic/Latino community to participate. Hands-on cooking demonstrations, led by teen chef XXXX XXXX, provided students and their parent/guardians with healthy ingredient options and culinary knowledge. Recipes were created and customized by CRI, to incorporate culturally relevant and easily accessible ingredients. Additionally, XXXX and CRI colleagues ensured that each meal prepared in the program met a budget of $12 maximum for a family of four. CRI measured changes in dietary habits, along with changes in blood work, BMI, physical fitness, knowledge, and attitudes. Eighty-nine percent of youth participants and 80% of adults said their favorite part of the program was the hands-on cooking. After experiencing the program, adult participants reported that they eat with their families without any TV or electronic devices more than at baseline (2.8 times more per week). In the post-program survey, 70% of participants also reported they eat healthier overall. Exposing low-income children and their parents/guardians to hands-on healthy cooking is an effective step toward other healthy lifestyle choices for. We plan to implement the CRI Healthy Community program in strategic partner schools and community centers nationwide.