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In Orange County, California, diabetes, heart disease and obesity are serious challenges that disproportionately affect the Latino community. Orange County’s Latino population (34% Latino), like many cities throughout the nation, is growing and changing the demographics of the county and consequentially changing the way healthcare is provided.
A new bilingual campaign called, “Shop With Your Doc” gives shoppers the opportunity to ask questions in a non-clinical environment and allows the St. Joseph Hoah Health system to provide care beyond their hospital walls.
The events are being launched from mid-October through November at Ralphs and Food 4 Less supermarkets throughout the country with aims to help shoppers get nutritional advice about what to eat, how to read labels and decrease or manage obesity and diabetes risks, plus shoppers will be offered free blood pressure checks.
“At St. Joseph Hoag Health, we recognize that curtailing obesity requires education that reaches the community in a personalized way,”said Richard Afable, MD, MPH, President and CEO of the network in a press release.
Latino kids in the county who represent 47.2% of the total child population are also at risk, with almost half being overweight or obese, unfortunately increasing their chances of chronic diseases. Unfortunately, according to the same press release, the prevalence of diabetes in the Latino community is staggering with it being the 5th leading cause of death among Latinos in the county.
“Shop With Your Doc” events hop to bring healthy information from health care specialists like nutritionists and nurses into the county and increase knowledge around how to shop healthier. Shoppers will get to tour stores with physicians and dieticians and learn how to read ingredients, labels, search for vitamins in foods and learn more about food groups as well as learn new ways to help kids eat their vegetables.
“We believe that through education, we can give the Latino community, and all Orange County residents, the tools to make better choices for their health and prevent or manage chronic illnesses,” explained Wendy Villalta, Senior Account Coordinator.
The following locations have been hosting and will host the “Shop With Your Doc” events:
- Thursday, Oct. 20 – Food 4 Less, 315 E First St, Santa Ana
- Monday, Oct. 24 – Ralphs, 2555 Eastbluff Dr., Newport Beach
- Friday, Oct. 28 – Ralphs, Hillcrest Park Center, 1121 N Harbor Blvd, Fullerton
- Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Ralphs, 19081 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach
- Saturday, Nov. 12 – Ralphs, 26751 Portola Parkway, Foothill Ranch
- Monday, Nov. 14 – Food4Less, 1616 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim
- Wednesday, Nov. 16 – Food 4 Less, 914 W. Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton
- Monday, Nov. 28 – Ralphs, 17605 Harvard Ave., Irvine
To learn more about events or about St. Joseph Hoag Health, click here.
By The Numbers
1
Supermarket
for every Latino neighborhood, compared to 3 for every non-Latino neighborhood
