Office of Minority Health

Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals

Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Project: Own Your Own Health Physical Activity and Nutrition Program

Amount: $130,850

The mission of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is to protect and promote health and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all of the state’s citizens. The Bureau of Minority Health Access is housed within the department and was established in 1999 by the Louisiana legislature to provide an infrastructure to address public health issues related to minority populations.

Project Abstract

The Bureau of Minority Health Access is currently implementing the Own Your Own Health Physical Activity and Nutrition Program to reduce the rates of obesity and overweight, which disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority communities in Louisiana, including African Americans, Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans. As part of this project, the bureau plans to:

• Implement an interactive online fitness and nutrition tracking program to encourage healthier eating and increased physical activity and help participants manage their weight and meet nutrition goals
• Expand and establish partnerships with minority organizations throughout the state
• Develop culturally and linguistically appropriate health education materials to educate minority groups about making better food choices, adopting a physically active lifestyle and getting screened for diseases associated with being overweight and obese

There are three expected outcomes related to this project: participants will 1) become familiar with healthy eating and proper nutrition; 12) become more physically active in their communities; and 3) understand the links between diet, exercise, obesity/overweight and chronic disease. The project also expects to increase participation in health screenings among disparate populations and raise the number of wellness activities in each community/organization. Performance measures for this project include:

• Number of people who have increased knowledge
• Number of participants using the online tool per year
• Increase in health screenings among the target population
• Increase in federally qualified health centers’ referrals of at-risk individuals
• Number of partnerships maintained between the bureau and local organizations
  
  

Data from the online tool will be used to help specify an evaluation plan.

Objectives

Increased awareness, education and outreach to address racial/ethnic minority health and health disparities problems