The Evaluation of IDEAL-REACH Program to Improve Nutrition among Asian American Community Members in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Objective Asian Americans’ food purchasing, cooking, and eating patterns are not well understood. Greater insight into these behaviors is urgently needed to guide public health interventions of dietary behaviors in this population. The present study aims to examine the effects of a community-level intervention on food purchasing and preparation, nutrition knowledge, and health awareness in Asian Americans. Methods From 2015 to 2017, we conducted the Improving Diets with an Ecological Approach for Lifestyle (IDEAL-REACH) intervention to increase access to healthy food or beverage options for the Asian-American population in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Participants (1110 at pre- and 1098 at post-assessment) were recruited from 31 community-based organizations (CBOs). We assessed Asian Americans’ dietary behaviors, nutrition knowledge, and awareness of heart health. Results The results of pre-post intervention comparisons showed that the IDEAL-REACH intervention was successful in promoting whole grains consumption, reducing sodium consumption, and raising knowledge and awareness related to nutrition and heart health. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is one of the first initiatives in the U.S. to engage CBOs to promote healthier dietary behaviors. The findings show that CBOs serve as a powerful platform for community-level interventions to improve healthy nutrition behaviors in Asian-American communities.

Trends in Diet Quality by Race/Ethnicity among Adults in the United States for 2011–2018

“…From 2011 to 2018, we observed a significant decline in estimated mean sodium intake in the NH Asian group, which may be related to the increased awareness of the harmful health effects of excess sodium [ 37 ]. Yet, salt, soy sauce, bean paste, fish, or shrimp sauce, the top sources of sodium in traditional Asian diets, are very often added during cooking [ 36 , 38 ]. To achieve the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommended sodium limit [ 5 ], it is necessary to better understand sodium intake (e.g., amount and pattern) and its long-term trend among Asian Americans so that more targeted intervention and education programs on cooking or eating behaviors can be developed for this minority group.…”

“…Third, although the mean daily carbohydrate intake significantly decreased among NH Asian adults, they still had the highest intake of carbohydrates. Previous studies reported that refined carbohydrates, including white rice and white flour, remain as mainstays in Asian American diets [ 38 , 39 ], whereas another study showed that greater acculturation was associated with a decreased intake of white rice in East Asian immigrants [ 40 ]. Nevertheless, more targeted health education is needed in Asian American communities to improve knowledge of the health risks of a high carbohydrate and refined grains diet and to promote changes in diet behaviors.…”

Obesity and Obesogenic Behaviors in Asian American Children with Immigrant and US-Born Mothers

“…Providing financial assistance to low income, less acculturated families and addressing barriers to SNAP participation may help reduce obesity in Asian American children. Community-based interventions that are sensitive to cultural food preferences can also be helpful in promoting healthier dietary habits in Asian American populations [45].…”

Applying a Medical Wellness Group Visit Model to a Community Setting Yielding Weight Loss and Improved Laboratory Results

“…Prior research suggests that delivering in-person support can help patients in a clinical setting lose weight. 12 Additionally, research has shown that community wellness programs can improve dietary behaviors 13 and physical activity. 6 However, rarely are community interventions led by experts, like a physician and dietitian, and few studies that take place in the community have been able to use the same rigorous biometric measurements, like lipid and HbA 1c levels, that are done in clinical settings.…”