Culturally Tailored Foods and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Abstract

Culture plays an integral role in people's food choices and lifestyle decisions. Health care messages may conflict with cultural beliefs for many immigrant, minority, and low-income populations. The multiple ways that culture can positively and negatively affect disease risk must be used in the development of culturally tailored messages or interventions. Only through the creation of interventions that are meaningful and culturally relevant can successful behavior stability or change occur. The recognition of current health-promoting factors is important to develop rapport and credibility with individuals and population groups to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other lifestyle-based chronic diseases for optimal health.