From temple to table: an innovative community health and lifestyle intervention aimed at a South Asian community

This paper describes the early development of a health and lifestyle initiative, the Apnee Sehat project, located at the heart of a South Asian community and developed in partnership with them. The project aims were to promote behaviour change in a sensitive and culturally acceptable manner and had a Sikh temple in the United Kingdom (UK) as its focus. Working in partnership with the community was implemented and sustained by key enthusiastic ‘health champions’. Participants welcomed the Apnee Sehat project as a health promoting initiative and were supportive of its chosen venue and the simple visual and narrative format of the health messages. Participants reported lifestyle changes at both individual and household levels. An evaluation of the Apnee Sehat project reports raised awareness, understanding, satisfaction and engagement. Elements of the Apnee Sehat project create a toolbox that has the potential for transfer to other communities in the UK.