This project provided Hispanic/Latino residents of the Phillips and Northeast neighborhoods of Minneapolis an opportunity to dialogue about their understandings and concerns related to increasing physical activity and improving nutrition. HACER carried out 5 focus groups with Hispanic/Latino residents in the two neighborhoods—3 in Phillips and 2 in Northeast. The focus groups took place during the last week of August and first two weeks of September 2005. 

Recruitment 

HACER collaborated with existing alliances (e.g. organized parent groups, Latino-serving organizations, and churches) to recruit Hispanic/Latino residents of the Phillips and Northeast neighborhoods of Minneapolis. These residents were recruited according to the following criteria: 

• Lower income  • Parents of children under 18  • Had been in the US 5 years or more  • Primarily female 

Demographic Breakdown

 A total of 48 people participated in the focus groups. Of these 48 participants, 40 were Hispanic/Latino mothers and 5 were Hispanic/Latino fathers of children under the age of 18. Approximately 30 percent of the participants were single mothers. All but 7 of the participants actually resided in the Phillips and Northeast neighborhoods. Over 95 percent of the participants were between 18 and 45 years of age. Two-thirds (67 percent) of the participants were born in Mexico, and the other third was from Ecuador and Guatemala. On average, the participants had lived in the United States approximately 8 years. 

Findings 

As part of this project, The Minneapolis Department of Health proposed four types of interventions to increase physical activity and to improve nutrition. HACER asked the focus group participants to comment on the four interventions. The interventions were: 

• Walking clubs • Culturally-specific fitness classes • Nutrition classes with cooking demonstrations • An 8-week fitness campaign incorporating a variety of activities 

The participants in the focus groups—with exception to the men—were agreeable to any of the four types of interventions proposed by the Minneapolis Department of Health to increase physical activity and improve nutrition. Preferences depended on each group and on each.