The Design and Acceptability of a Hip Hop Themed Integrated Nutrition Math Curriculum for Minoritized 5th Grade Students Using the Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model.

This article focuses on the development, implementation, and acceptability of the Hip-Hop Healthy Eating and Living in Schools (H.E.A.L.S.) Nutrition–Math Curriculum (NMC), a multimedia, multisensory, and scalable program designed to improve nutrition literacy and math skills among minoritized fifth-grade students in New York City. Guided by the Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model (MMHEM), NMC integrates asynchronous digital modules hosted on the Gooru Learning Management System (LMS) with synchronous teacher-led review sessions, combining hip-hop culture, interactive gamification, and culturally tailored content. Evaluation data from after-school participants indicate high acceptability, substantial module completion rates (average 82%), and mastery of core nutrition competencies, suggesting strong student engagement. The program aims to address obesogenic environments by enhancing menu board calorie literacy and promoting healthier food choices, with potential applicability to similar urban, underserved communities. Future research will assess the long-term effectiveness and scalability of this blended learning approach in health education.