Apache Healthy Stores and Navajo Healthy Stores

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Apache Healthy Stores Introduction Project Goal Project Features Project Reports Intervention Materials	Navajo Healthy Stores Update

Apache Healthy Stores
Funded by the US Department of Agriculture

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes, obesity and heart disease are severe problems among the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache. Most of these problems are related to a changing lifestyle. Eating a diet that is low in fat and sugar and high in fiber is part of improving lifestyle.

The Apache Healthy Stores Program was created to address these problems by working to improve healthy food availability and to promote healthy eating.

PROJECT GOALS

To improve the availability of healthy foods in local stores.
To promote the purchase of healthy food alternatives in local stores using health communications approaches.
To evaluate how successful the program is in increasing knowledge and changing food purchasing, prepartion and consumption.

FEATURES OF APACHE HEALTHY STORES INTERVENTION

One year intervention period: March 2003-March 2004.
Involves 15 small and large food stores located on the San Carlos and White Mountain Apache reservations
Messages developed with approval and participation of tribal leaders
After a positive evaluation, in mid-2005 work began to make the AHS intervention sustainable in the community setting.

COMMUNICATION METHODS AND MATERIALS

Apache Healthy Stores Manual of Procedures available in 2007! >>

In-Store:

Owners encouraged to stock healthy food choices
Shelf labels to identify healthy foods
Cooking demonstrations and taste tests
Recipe cards and flyers
Posters

Mass Media:

Radio announcements of key events and themes
Newspaper ads
Promotional video

The Bashas' supermarket chain is partnering with Apache Healthy Stores to promote healthy foods in their grocery stores on the White Mountain and San Carlos Reservations. Apache Healthy Stores thanks Bashas' Sign Department for their assitance with printing the intervention materials.

PROJECT REPORTS

December, 2005: To keep community members and community organizations informed about the status of the AHS program, a preliminary report on the main trial was printed and distributed.

Results of the Main Trial and Future Directions:
This report includes an explanation of the various phases of the AHS intervention, examples of materials, preliminary results of the data analysis, and a short discussion of sustainability. (PDF File)

October 26-27, 2005: Professionals from various local organizations concerned with diet gathered for a two-day workshop and built consensus about the future of the AHS program and the potential for collaboration between local organizations with shared goals.

AHS Community Workshop Report:
This report provides a detailed account of the ideas and issues discussed in the October workshop. The report includes sections on sustainability, community partnerships, and refining the AHS program. (PDF File)

June 12-13, 2003: More than 15 people from the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache reservations and the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico attended a two-day training led by Dr. Joel Gittelsohn, Dr. Jean Anliker, and Becky Ethelbah on June 12-13 in Whiteriver in preparation for the year long project which launched June 16 in Whiteriver.

Participants helped to hone the messages, nutrition information, and recipes that will be presented to shoppers via Apache Healthy Stores and discussed ways to overcome barriers to the project's success. Those present at this training will play an integral role in communicating the goals of the project to the community.

The first phase of the Apache Healthy Stores program emphasizes eating healthy snacks and looking for the shelf labels in community stores that will direct shoppers to healthier food choices.

New Roads to Healthful Living:
Results of Formative Research for a Food Store-Based Intervention Program to Improve Diet and Health in the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache Reservations (PDF File)

AHS PUBLICATIONS

Process evaluation of a store-based environmental obesity intervention on two American Indian Reservations. (Curran et al., 2005)
Formative research and stakeholder participation in intervention development. (Vastine et al., 2005)

Navajo Healthy Stores
Funded by the US Department of Agriculture

UPDATE

The Navajo Healthy Stores program will attempt to bring the success of the Apache Healthy Stores program to the Navajo setting. Currently the program has obtained all five of five Navajo agency area council approvals to begin work. We will now submit our application to the Navajo IRB. Once the project is approved, researchers and community members will collaborate to substantially modify the AHS program to fit the Navajo context.