India faces a “triple burden” of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency, and obesity. To combat this, Columbia Global Center Mumbai is collaborating with Dr. Olajide Williams, Professor of Neurology and Health Policy and Management and Vice Dean of Community Research and Engagement, Columbia University, Department of Neurology Stroke and co-director of the Columbia Center for Community Health. Dr Williams is the founder of Hip Hop Public Health and has demonstrated that music can significantly influence children's food choices through his innovative multimedia approach, including hip-hop videos. This method has successfully improved food purchasing decisions among children in underserved communities in New York City. The Mumbai Center aims to adapt this intervention to empower Indian children to make healthier dietary choices.
His interventions, such as Hip Hop H.E.A.L.S., utilize a traffic light model to simplify nutrition choices and have shown promising results in reducing calorie purchases among children in New York City. Another initiative, Hip Hop to Health Jr., aimed at younger children, emphasizes healthy eating and physical activity through a five-year randomized controlled study. In 2024, Dr. Williams introduced a scalable Hip-Hop Healthy Eating and Living in Schools (H.E.A.L.S.) Nutrition–Math Curriculum (NMC), featuring 20 lessons that blend music-based resources with core curriculum content. This approach aims to disseminate health education effectively among minority children in urban areas.
Principal Investigators:
Dr Olajide Williams, Professor and Chief of Staff of the Department of Neurology at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Co-Director of CCH
Dr Janhavi Mallaiah, Program Director at the Institute for Training Outreach and Community Health (InTOuCH) within the Columbia Center for Community Health
