UTHealth presenter: San Benito participants show measurable gains in diet, activity and blood pressure

Rebecca Losoya, speaking on behalf of UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, presented the program’s 2024 annual report to the San Benito City Commission on May 6, 2025 and summarized outreach, services and participant outcomes tied to the city partnership.

The program operates free nutrition and exercise classes, community health worker one‑on‑one visits, and year‑long diabetes prevention cohorts. Losoya said the program recorded broad media outreach and sustained class offerings across the Lower Rio Grande Valley in 2024: about 52 television segments on Televisa, roughly 80 class series, more than 588 social media posts and about 93 free exercise classes offered weekly across the region.

Losoya credited the city’s community health worker, Leticia Gomez, for in‑person outreach and participant follow up. “In order to participate in the program, there are no requirements. It is free and open to the public,” Losoya said.

Program outcomes reported to the commission for participants with two or more direct visits with a community health worker included:

- 62 percent improved fruit and vegetable intake, with an average increase of 1.56 servings per day; - 60 percent improved physical activity; - 69 percent decreased blood pressure measures; and - Of participants who initially presented with hypertension and had two or more follow‑up visits, 20 percent recorded a normal blood pressure result by the later visit.

Losoya also described regionwide programs that partner with the city, including the Diabetes Prevention Program (a year‑long lifestyle program), the Collaborative Action Board (CAB) that meets quarterly across the Rio Grande Valley, La Cocina Alegre (a six‑week healthy cooking class that provides recipe ingredients for participants to take home), and outdoor “trails” exercise classes in partnership with local trails groups. She noted a record‑breaking weigh‑in event held at San Benito’s community building with about 1,800 participants and said the challenge series resulted in more than 2,200 pounds lost overall and that over 80 percent of participants who weighed out had lost weight.

Losoya said the community health worker visits include blood pressure and BMI checks, motivational interviewing, education on physical activity and healthy food choices, and referrals to community resources. She said data show measurable improvements in participants who engage in multiple visits and classes.

Why it matters: the program’s free services target modifiable chronic‑disease risk factors — diet, physical activity and blood pressure — and the presenter gave measurable outcomes that local officials can use to justify continued partnership and local promotion of classes.

Questions raised and next steps: commissioners thanked the presenter and encouraged continued collaboration; Losoya and staff asked the commission to continue highlighting program offerings on the city’s Parks & Recreation social channels so residents know when classes and weigh‑in events are scheduled.