Evaluating Culturally Tailored Healthy Eating Messaging

Overview

A student-led community project that used Filipino cooking and storytelling to make healthy ingredient swaps more approachable and culturally authentic.

• My Role: Mentor for the Community Engagement Committee; ensured message consistency around healthy ingredient swaps; designed and framed the program evaluation

• Collaborators: Medical student organizers, community members, and the Council of Young Filipinx Americans in Medicine

• Audience: Filipino families and community members participating in culturally tailored health education programs

The Challenge

Health education campaigns often focus on behavior change but overlook the importance of culture and community. For Filipino families, food is tied to heritage and identity—changing traditional ingredients can feel like losing authenticity. The challenge was to encourage healthier habits without losing cultural connection.

Theory of Change

If people see healthy cooking modeled in a way that honors cultural roots and community values, they are more likely to feel confident and motivated to make changes. The project drew on bayanihan—the Filipino spirit of collective effort—to measure how shared confidence and mutual support shape health behavior.

Impact

The evaluation identified distinct patterns in participants’ confidence and motivation, showing how cultural pride and social connection influence healthy choices. The organization now plans to use the same evaluation framework to strengthen other community health programs, ensuring they reflect and celebrate the communities they serve.