Title

Occupational Therapy's Role in Addressing Childhood Obesity in Hispanic Communities

Authors

Karina Castro-Ayala, University of St. Augustine for Health SciencesFollow

Files

Description

Childhood obesity is a growing public health epidemic of the 21st century (Sahoo et al, 2015), in which the Hispanic population is disproportionately an affected population in the U.S for obesity and other health risks (Garcia et al, 2019). Predominantly, 40% of Hispanic children in the U.S. are considered overweight or obese, higher than many other racial and ethnic populations, leading to an increased risk in chronic health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and decrease in mental well-being. The purpose of this capstone was to develop an occupation-based, health and wellness program through the scope of occupational therapy, for Hispanic children and parents to combat obesity and other health risk factors for this vulnerable population. The creation of the Salud y Sanación program was to educate children on the importance of establishing healthy habits and routines in early childhood to reinforce those skill-building techniques for adulthood and increase overall health autonomy.

Publication Date

4-14-2022

Publisher

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

Medical Subject Headings

Pediatric Obesity, Hispanic or Latino, Occupational Therapy

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy | Public Health

Comments

Poster presented at the Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium held online at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences April 12-14, 2022.

Recommended Citation

Castro-Ayala, K. (2022, April 14). Occupational Therapy's Role in Addressing Childhood Obesity in Hispanic Communities. Poster presented at the Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences. Retrieved from https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/40