Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health—and How to Fix Them (Philadelphia, PA)

The goal that Lorraine Speaks has set for herself seems simple: Eat better. Barely 5 feet tall, the 58-year-old weighs 240 pounds. To lose weight, she knows she'll have to cut back on processed foods and the bags of miniature cookies that are her go-to snack.

Three weeks into a weight-loss program at the 11th Street Family Health Services here in North Philadelphia, instructor John Kirby helps Speaks focus. He suggests she aim for three servings of fruits and vegetables daily. It's a good goal, Speaks says, but do canned vegetables count? In the transitional housing facility where she lives, the kitchen is shared and fridge space is limited, so keeping fresh vegetables is difficult.

Preparing them is a challenge, too. "I want to eat squash and zucchini and all that," she tells Kirby. "But, I don't know how to cook it."

http://www.nationaljournal.com/next-america/health/racial-and-ethnic-disparities-in-health-and-how-to-fix-them-20140313