Claudia Navarro Martinez loves attending Fiestas Patrias and always stops by the UCHealth booth to get a free health screening.

The annual festival in Colorado Springs marks Hispanic Heritage Month and commemorates independence for Latin American countries from Mexico to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Chile. (Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrations throughout the U.S.)

Claudia had multiple reasons to smile at this year’s festival, which took place at the Colorado Springs Flea Market on Sept. 14. Claudia is proud of her Hispanic heritage, and she had some exciting news to share with the team of health pros who were doing the screenings.

“Last year, I had high blood sugar and high cholesterol levels,” said Claudia, 52.

Since then, she’s made huge progress in improving her health.

“I’ve managed to lose 25 pounds,” she said.

Claudia was excited to share her good news with the UCHealth team and to get another free screening this year. With the help of a nurse and a Spanish interpreter, Claudia received a great report.

“My risk of prediabetes has decreased this year,” she said.

A team from a UCHealth program called Healthy Hearts and Minds does the screenings at events like Fiestas Patrias and with young people and their families at schools in Colorado Springs and northern Colorado. (Learn more about Health Hearts and Minds and basic biometric screenings.)

The free screenings at Fiestas Patrias included:

• Height and weight to determine Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol levels
• Blood glucose levels

Another person who stopped by the UCHealth tent was Víctor Manuel Pivaran, a 49-year-old who works in landscaping in Colorado Springs. While his job is physically demanding, he often works 13-hour days, which makes it tough to find time for nutritious meals.

During his screening, Victor, who was born in Mexico, learned that his BMI is a little high. Equipped with new information about his health, Victor wants to adopt healthier habits.

“It’s important to take care of your diet and exercise,” he said.

Obesity rates and diseases like diabetes are more common among Hispanics

Obesity significantly affects a high percentage of Americans, including Hispanics, who have a higher prevalence of obesity and related diseases like diabetes and heart disease than some people from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Nearly half of Hispanic adults in the U.S. — about 44.8% of people — are dealing with obesity.

Estefania Santiago Velasquez, 25, also stopped by for a free health screening.

Estefania, who works in housekeeping, found renewed motivation to exercise. She understands the importance of maintaining a healthy weight so she can prioritize her health now while she’s relatively young.

She loved the convenience of getting a free screening during Fiestas Patrias.

“Many people struggle to find medical care and often don’t have the time to visit a doctor. That’s why having these health services provided by UCHealth to our community is so valuable. It gives us the chance to stop by the health booth and check our health easily,” Victor said.

“This idea of ​​bringing health screenings to the community is excellent so that we can understand our health status, and it’s also free and in our language,” said Estefania, whose native language is Spanish and was born in Mexico.

Giving people information about their health — in their own language — can help them make positive changes

Claudia Torres, a Spanish-speaking UCHealth nurse, was part of the team that was doing the screenings and offering healthy lifestyle recommendations to attendees during the event.

“These recommendations include how to protect their hearts, pay more attention to nutrition, exercise more, and drink more water, all habits that are beneficial for the heart,” Torres said.

Torres and her fellow health workers enjoyed meeting with adults of all ages during the festival.

“We identified a few individuals who have elevated cholesterol or blood pressure levels,” said Lisa Heineke, registered nurse. “We have explained what it means and what steps people can take to take care of themselves. They need to make some changes to protect their health in the future.”

The Healthy Hearts and Minds program has provided wellness education and disease prevention classes to school-aged children, adults, and families for over 30 years. The program is entirely based on data-driven approaches that work to help people stay healthy.

Victor Parral, a 55-year-old painter, found his health screening to be helpful, and he got good news.

“I had my cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure tested. All my numbers were within the expected range. It’s very beneficial for the community to have these health services during the Fiestas Patrias festival because many people don’t have the opportunity to go to the doctor,” Victor said. (Learn about blood pressure numbers)

“There are silent diseases, like high blood pressure, and we ignore the symptoms. It’s better to know so we can prevent health problems,” he said.

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease is high among the Hispanic population, accounting for 52.3% of men and 42.7% of women, according to experts from the American Heart Association.

Promoting wellness and community at an event that celebrates Hispanic heritage

UCHealth experts love participating in vibrant community events like Fiestas Patrias.

The festival welcomed both exhibitors and visitors. On a sunny Sunday, attendees enjoyed traditional aguas frescas drinks. They savored Mexican cuisine and Pueblo´s green chile peppers, a favorite among Coloradans. The lively banda music prompted dancing horses to perform elegant movements. Mariachi bands also entertained the crowd, welcoming a delegation of horse riders who launched the festival with a parade of flags representing the U.S., Colorado, and Mexico, a symbol of cultural fusion.

Julie Morain is a nurse and community health and research coordinator with the Health Hearts and Minds program. She has been part of the Fiestas Patrias team in the past and loves coming year after year to inspire people to make vital health changes.

“Healthy Hearts and Minds educates children and adults on how to prevent heart disease,” Morain said. “Fiestas Patrias is a great event where we meet such wonderful people.  We can measure cholesterol and glucose right here on site and listen as you share your family history. Then we will go over your risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke with you. Based on your family history and based on what we see as far as your cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure numbers, we might recommend simple lifestyle changes you can make to improve your health,” Morain said.

For everyone who attended Fiestas Patrias and took advantage of free health screenings, the message was clear: small, meaningful changes can lead to a long and enjoyable life rooted in good health.