Healthy Communities of Louisiana-The Obesity Project

More specifically we addressed the issue of obesity and diabetes which are the two driving forces for more chronic diseases that causes mortality in the target population.

The most significant problem in implementing this Project was the fact that our host community was a much closed minded community that was very skeptical of “outsiders” or individuals that they did not see as a part of the clique. This problem I think was unique to the host community and not global in nature. It was a specific quirk of this type of community that was mostly African American and educated with pockets of poverty dispersed within the community. It is a Black college town with a lot of history and misplaced pride.

The only way we overcame this peculiar cultural abnormality was with time, patience, persistence and cultural sensitivity. We did not wholefully overcome the problem but we made a significant dent in it.

The need for this service is amply demonstrated, and the evidence is clear that health education, medical screening and health literacy programming can be effective at meeting this need. But the evidence is just as clear that this specific system has some flaws that have simultaneously reduced benefits to a portion of their potential, and takes a lot of dedication and manpower on behalf of the grantee agencies. Sustainability of the program has not been adequately established, and there is danger of losing ground in the effort to meet these screening and health educational care needs if the consortium simply stops screening and educating.

A weight loss program administered by trained lay volunteers was effective in producing significant and clinically meaningful weight loss among African-American women who often do not benefit from typical weight loss programs.