Healthy Eating Healthy Aging: A Community-Based Intervention Program for Older AAPIs Delivered By Community-Based Organizations

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death for Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) between the ages 65-84. A well-balanced nutrition and low salt diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Objective: We developed a Healthy Eating Healthy Aging (HEHA) program for AAPIs ages 55 and older using the train-the-trainer model and tested its impact on fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) and salt intake monitoring.

Methods: We partnered with five community-based organizations (CBOs) serving older AAPIs. We trained the trainers at each CBO on HEHA, an intervention program developed by the American Heart Association and adapted culturally and linguistically by our group for AAPIs. Combined CBOs reached 137 AAPIs.

Results: Participants’ mean age was 74 years (+8.6); many were female (64%), reported not speaking English well (82%), and identified as Vietnamese (40%), Korean (31%), and Chinese (18%). Participants reported eating more servings of fruits (6.0+2.1 vs. 6.3+2.1; p=0.41) and vegetables (5.3+2.3 vs. 6.1+1.9; p=0.03) and increasing their salt intake monitoring (6.7+3.3 vs. 7.2+3.3; p=0.61) pre/post intervention. Change in vegetable consumption was statistically significant. Participants also reported increased in confidence in maintaining a healthy diet (49% vs. 56%; p=0.007), knowledge of high salt consumption as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (30% vs. 43%; p<0.001) and reading nutrition labels (38% vs. 42%; p=0.03).

Conclusion: A HEHA program, culturally and linguistically adapted for AAPIs can impact nutrition among older AAPIs. The train-the-trainer model with CBOs can serve as a potential tool to disseminate the HEHA programs nationally.