Photo By Staff Sgt. Dakota Carter | U.S. Air Force Reserve Capt. Shelby Anderson, 482nd Medical Squadron registered...... read more read more
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While many Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team mission 2026 medical engagements focused on direct clinical care, a small nutrition team worked behind the scenes to address a key driver of long-term health: what people eat and how they access it.
For the team U.S. Air Force Reserve dietitians and nutrition professionals participating in the LAMAT mission, the goal extended beyond short-term consultations. Their work centered on education, collaboration with local health professionals, and helping residents build sustainable habits using foods already available in their communities.
Before meeting with patients, the team first worked to understand the local food environment.
“One of the things that we did at first, before we went anywhere, really to tailor any message to anyone, was we went to look at the local foods that are available to people,” said Chere Ann Weaver, nutrition officer with the St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Health. “That was very important … just to get an idea of what people have access to that’s wholesome.”
By exploring local markets and grocery stores alongside Ministry of Health counterparts, the team gained insight into the foods most commonly available to residents and the local food landscape, helping ensure their guidance reflected both cultural traditions and everyday realities.
For registered dietitian U.S. Air Force Reserve Capt. Shelby Anderson with the 482nd Medical Squadron, the mission was less about introducing new ideas and more about reinforcing and supporting the work already happening within the community.
“My job during the LAMAT mission is to connect with the nutrition resources that they already have, learn about the food systems that they already have in place, and then be a resource for the most up-to-date and evidence-based nutrition information,” Anderson said.
Throughout the two-week mission, the nutrition team connected with residents through consultations, school visits, and community outreach events. Conversations often centered on simple but meaningful choices — how meals are prepared, how portions are balanced, and how everyday foods can support long-term health.
“Meal preparation and portion control … temperance in all things is a really big deal,” Weaver expressed. “Sometimes we don’t focus on how much we’re having—we just have it because we want it.”
For Anderson, some of the most memorable moments came during outreach with younger audiences.
“I had a lot of engagement from the kids,” she said. “They got really excited about fruits and vegetables and talking about sports and health.”
Those moments reflected a broader goal of the mission: building awareness early and encouraging small, sustainable habits that can shape long-term health outcomes.
Working side by side with local healthcare professionals also created opportunities for meaningful collaboration and shared learning. By combining their perspectives, the teams were able to reinforce consistent messaging while exchanging knowledge and experience.
“Having a team that’s diverse that can share the same information makes a big difference,” Weaver said. “The conversations are rich, and everybody is able to leave with something.”
The collaboration also highlighted the importance of recognizing the nutritional value of foods already grown and prepared within the islands.
“The biggest thing I hope people take away is that the foods that are already on these islands — the herbs, the spices, just the traditional foods that they have on this island — are incredible,” Anderson said. “What’s already here is what’s going to impact their health the most. They have a wonderful island, a wonderful place, so many resources in terms of food available here – leverage that, include it, and enjoy it ”
While LAMAT missions are designed to support communities abroad, the partnerships and knowledge exchanges benefit everyone involved. Anderson said the experience offered lessons she plans to bring back to her own work in the United States.
“I think our team has learned a lot working with our local counterparts,” she said. “I’ve picked up different counseling styles by listening to how they interact with people, and I’ll use some of the language and examples they’ve shared in my own practice.”
The experience also changed how she plans to approach conversations about nutrition with her own patients.
“One thing I want to take back to my peers and my patients at home is a celebration of the local foods where they live,” Anderson said. “Here, people have a strong connection to their cultural foods. I work with a lot of patients in the Florida area, so I want to focus more on celebrating the foods we have there—things like citrus, seafood and other local ingredients. They do an incredible job of that here, and it’s something I want to bring back when I talk about food with my patients.”
For local health leaders, the collaboration reinforced an equally important message for the community. “When people see that others care about them, they become a little more in tune with their own well-being,” Weaver said. “It reminds them that their health matters.”
Possibly the most significant success of the mission was made even more meaningful through the relationships built with local health professionals, Anderson expressed.
“It’s been a pleasure working in such a beautiful place. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming and kind,” she said. “The Ministry of Health and the nutrition professionals we worked with made this mission a success for our team, and we’re very thankful for their partnership.”
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2026 08:26 |
| Story ID: | 559504 |
| Location: | KN |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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