Individuals of South Asian descent, which includes Asian Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalis, Bangladeshis, and Sri Lankans, are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States.

Research shows that this population in particular has a high burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors, two of which are low physical activity and poor diet.

There have been a number of studies conducted on cardiovascular disease, outlining the importance of behavioral lifestyle interventions, which focus specifically on diet and physical activity. However, our research has shown that these existing interventions do not reach the South Asian community.

The need for interventions that address cardiovascular disease using a culturally tailored method grows exponentially as population of US South Asians grows.

The South Asian Healthy Lifestyle Initiative (SAHELI) has a long standing relationship in the South Asian community through community-based participatory research, which is used to design and test culturally tailored interventions to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease throughout the South Asian community.

What We've Achieved

SAHELI has engaged with multi-sectoral partners, established trust, and defined mutually beneficial goals in the community. The intervention protocol uses a culturally salient method to address individual and sociocultural determinants of cardiovascular diseaseas well as increase self-regulation methods such as self-motivation, self-monitoring, and goal setting, which are associated with changes to diet and physical activity.

NEWS & AWARDS