Study: Menu Labeling Can Increase Health in Latino-Serving Restaurants

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Editor’s Note: This is a 20-part series featuring new research briefs on Latino childhood obesity, nutrition, physical activity and more by the 20 grantees of Salud America! Part 2 is Dr. Carmen Nevarez. Find all briefs here.

Dr. Carmen Nevarez
“Salud Tiene Sabor: Creating Healthy Eating Environments for Latino Families”

In her Salud America! pilot research project, Dr. Carmen Nevarez of the Public Health Institute evaluated the Salud Tiene Sabor program. Sabor, the first program of its kind in California, supports healthy food choices in restaurants by providing access to healthy menu items and nutrition information, including calories posted on menu boards.

Seven independent restaurants have implemented the Sabor program at Mercado La Paloma, a community marketplace in South Los Angeles that serves primarily Latino residents with restaurants, shops, social services and cultural events.

Key preliminary findings include:

• customers are aware of and use nutrition information on menu boards;
• restaurant owners support the Salud Tiene Sabor program; and
• healthy eating options are available to Mercado la Paloma customers.

Early findings indicate that small, independently owned restaurants in low-income Latino communities can help improve local nutrition environments. They also show that Latino communities are aware of and positively influenced by menu labeling.

Read more here.

Salud America! is an RWJF national program directed by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday.