Project
A collaboration between the School of Allied Health and the Limerick Food Partnership allowed MSc dietetic students to research the food culture and diet of Nigerian, Bangladeshi, Polish and Palestine communities. Looking at how food is usually prepared, served and how their native diet is preserved here in Ireland.
The aim is to understand the eating habits of other cultures, how healthy eating habits from these cultures can be integrated within our Irish food culture, and to explore documented nutrition related health problems prevalent among each migrant community. Students work with these communities as part of CT6053- Public Health and Community Nutrition module, to identify what is required to make the Health Service Executive (HSE) evidence-based community training and education program, Healthy Food Made Easy, more inclusive of migrant cultures.
• Limerick Food Partnership • School of Allied Health, UL • Health Service Executive • Migrant Community Leaders • PAUL Partnership • Healthy Limerick
Three resources were created to provide culturally relevant recipes incorporating healthy food preparation and cooking tips for migrant participants who participate in the Healthy Food Made Easy food skills programme. These resources have been made available to the community tutors who run the programmes throughout Limerick city and county.
Learning
The Public Health and Community Nutrition module gives students the opportunity to explore health promotion work through community-engaged learning. This work included integration interventions using food as an engagement tool. By working with leaders from migrant communities, students develop an understanding of the unique dietetic requirements of each community and how these can be incorporated into HSE food skills programmes.
Collaborating with migrant communities and the Limerick Food Partnership enables UL students to develop skills in health promotion and explore integration work through interventions using food as an engagement tool.
Students will be working with leaders from migrant communities over a six-week period. Helping them better understand the dietic needs of these communities and how these needs can be met in an evidence-based and sustainable way. These leaders will then be able to communicate this information to the wider community.
Module assessments combine traditional academic performance metrics with continuous assessment of practical skills and performance.