Asian cookery clubs: A community health promotion intervention

Abstract

The South Asian community have much higher than average risks of coronary heart disease and diabetes (Department of Health 1994) and underutilise health promotion services. A project has been developed in Bedfordshire which aims to help this group to follow healthy eating guidelines. It uses practical cookery clubs led by trained community members to demonstrate to local women how to make their dishes in a healthier way without affecting the taste. Short term and long term qualitative evaluation of the effect of these clubs on participants has demonstrated an immediate and more sustained effect on cooking practices.

Keywords:

• diet
• South Asian
• health promotion
• healthy eating
• interagency
• CHD
• diabetes