A community-informed approach to develop a gardening model for the Bangladeshi community in Brooklyn, NY

Bibliographic Data

ID22945550
AuthorsSze Wan Celine Chan (NYU Langone Health), Sze Wan Chan (0000-0001-5230-7619, NYU Langone Health), Fatema Kamal (0000-0003-2253-7397, NYU Langone Health), Rhyden Dowd (Brooklyn Grange , 63 Flushing Ave, Building 3, Suite 1105, Brooklyn, NY 11205), Sabiha Sultana (0000-0002-9088-350X, NYU Langone Health), Nadia S Islam (NYU Langone Health), Nadia Islam (0000-0003-1470-2073, NYU Langone Health), Stella S Yi (0000-0002-9943-2609, NYU Langone Health)
Year2026
Volume41
Issue3
Publication date2026-05-05
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Promotion International (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/heapro/daag065
PMID42178225
OpenAlexW7162314097
LanguageEN
References cited42

Nationally, there is increased investment in interventions that address diet-related chronic diseases however few studies and interventions are developed to reflect the values and lifestyles of many communities, presenting a barrier to participation. This study aims to better understand the motivators and barriers for the Bangladeshi American community in Brooklyn, New York to participate in diet-related interventions. Formative qualitative interviews were conducted in English and Bangla with Bangladeshi adults (n = 12) to understand current shopping/cooking behaviors, access and usage of food programs, awareness and interest in food programs, and future program preferences. Participants reported three key themes: centrality of community behaviors for program acceptability, creating opportunities to leverage community and social motivations, and addressing logistical concerns during program development. Gardening emerged as a promising program offering to increase access to fresh produce, strengthen community bonds, and foster cross-cultural understanding. Using community feedback, Harvest Share Seedlings, a community-informed home gardening program, was co-developed and implemented with farming and community partners to increase access to fresh produce for the Bangladeshi community. The findings highlight the need to understand and center community-specific considerations when designing and implementing food programs and interventions. Adopting a community-informed approach increases uptake and acceptability from the community, and ensures sustainability in the long run.

Community development · Community engagement · Formative assessment · Leverage (statistics) · Program evaluation · Psychological intervention · Qualitative research · Social marketing · Sustainability · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Organic Food and Agriculture · Urban Agriculture and Sustainability

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Open DOIOpen Access