Promoting Latino Health and Wellness

A cursory glance at some of the health indicators in the Latino community is enough to understand that our communities face a crisis. Among Latino men and over the age of twenty, nearly four out of every ten are obese and more than twenty percent struggle with hypertension. For Latinas, the data paints an even more troubling picture with nearly half of those twenty years of age and older classified as obese and more than one-quarter living with hypertension. Add to the mix other factors such as smoking, lack of exercise, and limited access to medical care, and it’s little wonder that the health of our communities is in such dire condition.

One of the key obstacles to improved Latino health outcomes is the lack of information about health and wellness. For several years, Hispanic Federation has partnered with community-based organizations to participate in a series of health fairs designed to increase our community’s understanding of how to live a healthy life.

In 2018, HF has hosted 6 Health Fairs serving more than 6,000 people. Working in partnership with the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, Pfizer, NYS DOH, Boehringer Ingelheim and local community-based organizations, we have focused on giving Latinos the tools to make better decisions about their diets, adopt healthy habits, and see their doctors regularly.

“We have to do better to ensure that our community is as healthy as possible,” said Hispanic Federation’s Senior Director of Community Health Engagement Betsy Morales. “And the single most important thing that we can do to achieve better health is to give people the information and the support they need to make better decisions about nutrition and exercise. This isn’t easy because so much of our culture is tied to foods and traditions that we love but that, in excess, can do real damage. What we try to do during these health fairs is make sure that people understand that making changes in what they eat and how they move is easier than they know and more important than they can imagine.”

Here are some of the recent and upcoming health fairs the Hispanic Federation has and is hosting across the United States:

Name: Family Health Fair
Hosted By: Hispanic Federation, Pfizer, Mexican Consulate
City: Bridgeport, CT
Date: October 20, 2018
Community Partners: Southwest Family Health Center
Services: Free health screenings, food demonstrations, and other health educational activities and information.

Name: ¡Vive tu Vida! Get up Get Moving! 2018
Hosted By: Hispanic Federation
City: Kissimmee, FL
Date: October 27, 2018
Community Partners: National Alliance for Hispanic Health, Horizon Middle School
Services: Free health screenings, sports clinics, dance classes, dance competition, food demonstrations, and health information.

Name: Family Health Fair
Hosted By: Hispanic Federation, Pfizer, Mexican Consulate
City: Boston, MA
Date: November 17, 2018
Community Partners: East Boston Neighborhood Health Center
Services: Free health screenings, food demonstrations, and other health educational activities and information.

Name: Family Health Fair
Hosted By: Hispanic Federation, Pfizer, Mexican Consulate
City: Queens, NY
Date: December 1, 2018
Community Partners: Community United Methodist Church of Jackson Heights and APICHA
Services: Free health screenings, food demonstrations, and other health educational activities and information.

Name: ¡Vive tu Vida! Get up Get Moving!
Hosted By: Mexica-American Opportunity Foundation
City: Los Angeles, CA
Date: December 1, 2018
Services: Free diabetes and cardiovascular disease information and activities.