Objective: To co-develop a culturally affirming, family-centered Healthy Eating Program with community members for managing PD symptoms and achieving personal wellness goals.

Background: Growing evidence suggests that healthy dietary patterns—particularly Mediterranean-style eating rich in whole foods and fiber—may help manage PD symptoms and improve quality of life. However, many individuals face cultural, practical, and access-related barriers to adopting these patterns, and clinicians often lack resources to provide nutrition guidance. To address this gap, we are developing a culturally sensitive Program with a nutrition manual and companion cookbook to support individuals with PD and their families in adopting sustainable dietary habits.

Method: Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, we partnered with a Community Advisory Group of individuals living with PD, care partners, and trusted community members, alongside a cross-sector, multidisciplinary Steering Committee with expertise in movement disorders, social work, nutrition, rehabilitation therapies, speech-language pathology, and health coaching representing academic institutions, nonprofit advocacy organizations, community members, care partners and faith leaders . Through collaborative development of multilingual surveys and focus groups, we aim to understand community priorities regarding: (1) the role of food as medicine in PD management, (2) challenges and preferences related to healthy eating, and (3) cultural, social, and practical realities of eating with PD. Community partners also guided interpretation of findings and development of engagement strategies.

Results: Survey (English, Spanish, and simplified Chinese) and focus group (English) findings are informing development of a pilot nutrition coaching program consisting of group education sessions followed by individualized coaching. Preliminary insights highlight the need for practical, culturally affirming approaches to nutrition, recognizing that standard Mediterranean diet recommendations may not resonate across communities. Participants also emphasized addressing barriers related to food preparation, access, and dysphagia as PD progresses.

Conclusion: CBPR approaches are essential for developing culturally relevant nutrition interventions that are feasible, acceptable, and responsive to the lived experiences of families with PD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/engage-in-healthy-eating-a-community-guided-approach-to-culturally-sensitive-nutrition-support-for-people-with-parkinsons-disease-pd/