At a Glance
The UAMS Office of Community Health and Research (CHR) partnered with the Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention, the Springdale Farmers Market and the Jones Center in Springdale to present healthy recipes and options for an active lifestyle to Hispanic and Marshallese populations. During the final morning of the Springdale Farmers Market, participants in CHR’s event were encouraged to attend a cooking class/taste testing hosted by the Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention, tour the Jones Center and attend a dancing class, and were each given $22 to spend at the farmers market.
Public Health Challenge
Data shows that 48 percent of Hispanic children in the target area of Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties are overweight or obese, and 80 percent of Hispanic adults in the target area are overweight or obese. Forty-three percent of Marshallese children in the target area are reported to be overweight or obese, with 89.7 percent of Marshallese adults in the four-county area reporting they are overweight or obese. Additionally, 13.6 percent of the Hispanic population and 38.4 percent of the Marshallese population in the target area are reported to have Type 2 Diabetes, compared with the national average of 9.4 percent.
Approach
Educating priority populations about healthy diets and regular physical activity is a multi-organizational project. The Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention hosted a taste-testing event using healthy foods that could be found at local farmers markets, and CHR distributed recipe cards that encouraged healthy eating habits. Following the taste-testing, participants in the event were given a tour of the Jones Center and encouraged to participate in a free Zumba class. Following the Zumba class, participants were encouraged to visit the Springdale Farmers Market, and were given $22 each to spend at the market. Participants were also surveyed about their habits in relation to the farmers market and the Jones Center, and provided educational material about both to encourage healthy eating and physical activity.
Results
62.5 percent of the participants surveyed during the event stated they were very likely to shop at a local farmers market, with 25 percent stating they were somewhat likely to shop at a local farmers market. 71 percent of the participants reported they were very likely to prepare one of the recipes they were provided during the event, and more than half of the participants reported after the event that they were very likely to become a member at the Jones Center.
What’s Next
CHR will continue to work with community partners to encourage healthy eating habits and regular physical activity among in an effort to reduce obesity and prevalence of diabetes among target populations. CHR will continue working with farmers markets in the four-county area to find solutions to barriers that may prevent priority populations from purchasing healthy produce, and will continue working with the Jones Center to encourage priority populations to use the center’s amenities for physical activity (such as, but not limited to, dancing classes, its pool, fitness center, etc.).
Find Out More
The UAMS Office of Community Health and Research offers resources online related to healthy eating and regular physical activity at its website, nwa.uams.edu/chr. More resources are also available at arkansasobesity.org and thejonescenter.net. This project is managed by the UAMS Community Health and Research Community Programs team. The Community Health and Research team at UAMS Northwest is leading the way through evidence-based research and community programs to help our community overcome barriers to quality health.