Culture, Community and Health: Reflection of growing up Filipino in the RGV

I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), on the southern border of Texas. A place with a big metropolitan area, yet with many little rural towns spread all around the region. A tropical desert known for its citrus production and other fruit/vegetable crops, with many farm fields harvested annually to reach markets across Texas. The RGV being so close to Mexico is deeply rooted in Hispanic culture. From the annual Charro Days in Brownsville and the FESTIBA Mariachi Festival at UTRGV, these are a few of the many traditions of the RGV that showcases its great Hispanic heritage. Because family is also an integral part of our culture, food is a staple part in how we connect, celebrate, and show up for one another. Whether it is tamales at Delia’s or tacos at the McAllen Food Park, there is an abundance of food to be shared with everyone!

Unfortunately it is also one of the areas in the country that is on top of lists for obesity and other chronic health conditions. It is common to see those with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and many people are considered overweight. The rural areas where people live in poverty, limited access to healthcare, and the surplus of fast food restaurants mixed with sedentary lifestyles are all factors that contribute to this problem.

Adding to this, I grew up in a Filipino community. Similar to the Hispanic culture, Filipinos are very food and family oriented. There were many days I remember where my church would have a potluck and everyone would gather together. Trays layed out with pancit, lumpia, and plenty of white rice! No matter how many people came, there were always leftovers! It is ingrained in our culture to make sure everyone eats even when we are full. Therefore it is easy to see why Filipino-Americans are predisposed to type 2 diabetes and other chronic health conditions as compared to other Asian-Americans. Moreso, we have many family members who work in healthcare, especially nurses. They work long hours caring for others in physically demanding roles to provide for their own families. You would think we would know better on how to stay healthy. Yet even with our major involvement in healthcare, we don’t take our own health into consideration. It is easy to overlook how our diet and the stress of work can shape our health outcomes over time.

I wanted to highlight these two communities, acknowledging that these were integral parts of my childhood and made me appreciative of where I came from. It is the reason why I want to give back to them in little ways like education of PT and public health that would make long lasting changes in their lifestyles.