HNSC 4230 Term Assignment

Markelle Benn

Yasemin Efeturk

Julia Wang

(1) Needs assessment and justification

As the obesity epidemic rages in the US, incidents of type 2 diabetes also rises.

Particularly, older adults are more at risk. This is an urgent problem as the average life

expectancy in the US continues to grow and increases the number of people within

the age range of 40-59 years old. Our goal is to control diabetes through dietary and activity

modifications to prevent insulin dependence within this age range. Diabetes is in the top 10

leading causes of death in the US, the 6th leading cause within the 45-64 age range (Boyle,

2017).

We found many troubling statistics in the area of Flatbush/Midwood and our target

population of adults aged 40-59 years old recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 24% of the

areas population is 40-59 years old, 28% are obese and 13% have diagnosed diabetes (Hinterland

et al, 2018). Community data suggests far less than the recommended intake of fruits and

vegetables a day of up to 5+ servings a day. For example, only 64% consume 1-4 servings of

fruits/vegetables a day and 25% consume none at all (A Foodscape of Flatbush, 2017). This

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points to poor diet habits considering that 26% also consume more than one sugary beverage a

day. Interestingly 24% of households also receive SNAP benefits (Foodscape, 2021). Only 69%

of residents reported any physical activity in the past 30 days.

As we can see the need for a nutrition education intervention is pertinent. We hope to

create better health outcomes for program participants.

(2) Program goal and Outcome Objectives

Short-term Intermediate Long-term

(knowledge, attitude, (behavior) (health outcome)

skills)

By the end of the By the end of the By month 10, Black and
program, Black and program, Black and Latino males aged 40-59
Latino males aged 40-59 Latino males aged 40-59 years old will:
years old will: years old will:
● Incidence of Type II
● increased awareness ● enrollment and diabetes diagnosis
of health and participation in reduced by 20%
nutrition education SNAP, EBT, Health
resource fairs Bucks,
● increased awareness Greenmarkets,
of the importance of increases among
physical activity and 50% of participants
knowledge on how ● 50% of participants
one may incorporate have increased
it into their lifestyle physical activity to at
in 50% of least 30 minutes per
participants day
● 50% of participants
increased vegetable
and fruit intake to at
least 2 servings per
day

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(3) Program overview

Our program, “Flatbush Fit Fam: Type II Diabetes Health Treatment,” was designed to

encourage participants to be a part of a positive and healthy community that wants to improve

their health through lifestyle and attitude shifts, and diet and exercise. This will be done by

completing numerous activities such as nutrition education classes, fitness workshops, cooking

demonstrations, grocery shopping education, and enrollment in benefit and entitlement

programs. There will be about 100 participants who are 40-59 year old Black and Latino men

diagnosed with type 2 diabetes located in Flatbush/Midwood. This intervention will take place at

a community center in the Flatbush community for 7 weeks, with one lesson per week for 45

minutes.

Here is a list of the lessons:

● Lesson 1 - Introduction and Initial Socialization: An introduction to the program

giving an overview of type 2 diabetes, the importance of lifestyle habits and changes in

order to manage diabetes, and self assessment activities and logs for pre-assessment.

● Lesson 2 - Researching Programs: Increasing computer literacy to be able to research

available benefit and entitlement programs.

● Lesson 3 - Exercising Together: Importance of exercise and ideal weekly frequency,

safe exercises for individuals with diabetes, and exercise assessment.

● Lesson 4 - Choosing the Right Foods: Importance of eating more vegetables and fruits

daily, what to eat and what to avoid when managing diabetes, and diet assessment.

● Lesson 5 - Shopping Foods in Flatbush: Exploring nearby Greenmarkets and Farm

stands to know where to buy fresh produce in Flatbush and using EBT and Health Bucks.

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 ● Lesson 6 - Cooking and Meal Planning: This lesson involves ensuring participants learn

and understand kitchen safety, basic cooking and knife skills, different method

preparations, and how to do diabetes-friendly meal plans via cooking demonstrations.

● Lesson 7 - Conclusion and Group Reflection: The last session will be spent reflecting

on lifestyle changes after beginning the program, and on ways to apply all the lessons

learned after the program.

(4) Detailed lesson

Our “Cooking and Meal Planning” lesson aims to teach participants how to safely cook

healthy meals, including more vegetables and fruits, at home and how to meal plan. They will

learn the basic safety techniques for properly handling knives and different ways to prep

vegetables, the different cooking methods and the healthiest ways to prepare their food, and how

to organize a balanced meal plan for the week. They will also get a handout with easy recipes to

start changes at home. This lesson will allow participants to adopt more healthy, home cooked

meals and be aware of what they eat on a daily and weekly basis.

Time Activity Materials Needed Level addressed

Learning Objective 1: Understand kitchen safety and handle of knives

15 min - Demonstration - Knives Build Awareness

of how to - Aprons
safely handle - Gloves
and use knives
- Show different
techniques to
cut

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 Learning Objective 2: Ways to prepare meals with vegetables

15 min - Handouts of - Aprons Change Lifestyle

different - Varied in-
preparation season Build Awareness
methods and vegetables
easy recipes - Pots, Air Fryer
- Discuss and
compare
healthy ways to
prepare
vegetables
(steam, boil, air
fry)

Learning Objective 3: How to meal plan

15 min - Information of - Paper sheets Build Awareness

importance of - Pens
meal plan
- Tips to
organize
weekly meal
plans

(5) Evaluation plan

We formulated a quasi-experimental evaluation, with data collection throughout the

program duration to measure the efficacy of the program and if the short, intermediate and

long-term goals are being achieved. We expect to achieve this by the end of month 2, month 4

and month 10, respectively.

Our short term goals include increased awareness of health and nutrition education

resource fairs among 75% of the male population in Flatbush/Midwood and increased awareness

of importance of regular physical activity and how to incorporate it into the daily routine in 50%

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of participants. We will provide small questionnaires and surveys (up to 15 questions) at the end

of each lesson to assess current status of activity level, knowledge obtained and lifestyle changes

or plans to change.

Our intermediate goals include increased enrollment in entitlement and benefits programs

(SNAP, EBT, Health Bucks) and participation in Greenmarkets, increased physical activity to

minimal daily 30 minutes and increased intake of vegetable and fruits of at least 2 daily servings

among half of participants. We will organize focus group discussions at the end of the lesson to

discuss and share which programs each participant has enrolled to and its experience, opinions

and benefits that they have obtained after enrollment. We will also organize a raffle (with small

gifts, such as pens and water bottles) among participants to incentive the completion of logs and

questionnaires about physical activity and diet intake logs.

Our long term goals include reduction of type II diabetes diagnosis among 20% of the

male population in Flatbush/Midwood. We will host a monthly fair on a Sunday with volunteer

physicians and/or labs to measure and perform fasting blood glucose tests among the Black and

Latino residents in the neighborhood.

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References

Boyle, M. A. (2017). Community nutrition in action: An entrepreneurial approach. Boston, MA:

Cengage Learning.

A Foodscape of Flatbush

Written by NYC Food Policy Editor. (2021, April 27). Foodscape: Flatbush/Midwood. Retrieved

May 10, 2021, from https://www.nycfoodpolicy.org/foodscape-flatbush-midwood/

Hinterland K, Naidoo M, King L, Lewin V, Myerson G, Noumbissi B, Woodward M, Gould LH,

Gwynn RC, Barbot O, Bassett MT. Community Health Profiles 2018, Brooklyn Community

District 14: Flatbush and Midwood; 2018; 38(59):1-20.

https://popfactfinder.planning.nyc.gov/profile/2332/demographic