When discussing social determinants of health (SDOH), we often hear about the impact of postal code on health outcomes.
While where you live certainly matters, there is another important factor that is equally worth noting. It’s about access to healthy food. Under-resourced Latinx communities have a disproportionately high prevalence of obesity and diet-related health problems. Addressing this problem requires a multifaceted approach, and one key aspect is education, especially culturally appropriate information about the importance of nutrition and physical activity.
Healthy, affordable food options are limited in some of the Valley’s Latino-majority communities. Traditional approaches to nutrition education often do not consider cultural differences and may not resonate with the Latinx community. Culturally appropriate teaching involves more than simply translating educational materials into Spanish. This requires understanding the cultural norms, preferences, and traditions surrounding foods and eating habits.
Phoenix-based Advance Community offers programs that allow individuals within the Latinx community to continue to embrace their cultural heritage while making informed choices about nutrition and health.
For example, Salud con Sabor Latino’s evidence-based program provides nutritional education as well as cooking instruction and recipes to help you create healthier favorites that are both culturally appropriate and healthy for your family. Provide choices to participants. We know this program positively impacts the health of the Latino children, teens, and families we serve.
Our Stove to Table program creates and delivers healthy eating and important information about food and nutrition to low-income seniors, helping them live as healthy and independent lives as possible. While we are honored to serve our community, there is still much work to be done and everyone in the Valley can play a role.
Because nutrition education is so important to many people, we should encourage other social service programs to consider adding this to their existing programs and initiatives. Schools certainly play an important role in teaching children healthy eating habits. School and community health educators can help children make healthier food choices for themselves and their families by incorporating culturally relevant nutrition lessons into their curricula.
Advance provides evidence-based nutrition education, including cooking demonstrations, gardening workshops, and nutrition seminars tailored to the specific needs and preferences of the community. Schools, community centers, faith-based organizations, and others should serve as valuable resources in communities, helping individuals develop the knowledge and skills they need to make healthier choices.
By investing in education and community-based initiatives, we can improve health outcomes and promote health equity for all members of the Valley community.
María Alicia Valenzuela is the Chief Program Officer at Advance Community. The Phoenix-based nonprofit organization serves people throughout Maricopa County by providing programs that enable individuals within the Latinx community to embrace their cultural heritage while making informed choices about nutrition and health. strengthens under-resourced Latino communities.
