Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX
Improving Obesity in the Hispanic Population

Background: The 3 most prominent healthcare disparities identified in the CHNA were obesity, the breast cancer death rate, and sexually transmitted diseases. Increased obesity within the Hispanic community was selected as the disparity to address. The project goal was to promote obesity awareness and provide education that would have an impact on the local Hispanic population through collaboration with the community.

Methods: The proposed intervention was an 8-week course of family meetings for educational information, cooking classes, exercise planning, and data gathering. Every meeting included an hour-long didactic session covering topics such as stress management, heathy eating habits, and exercise; meal preparation of affordable, culturally centered dishes with recipes provided; and a basic exercise plan. Metrics included height, weight, and waist circumference; validated surveys; and a physical fitness assessment measured at the beginning of the program and at the end.

Results: No data had been gathered at the time of project presentation.

Conclusion: No conclusions can be withdrawn from the study yet. However, barriers encountered during the study process are worth mentioning: the financial limitations that inhibit patients’ ability to purchase healthy food, the limited free time of the participants, and the cultural fact that the Hispanic population tends to center social events and gatherings around food. According to the literature, no single intervention will have a great impact on obesity in this study population, so this project included a combination of motivational, activity, and food-based interventions within social groups.