BOSTON — Oldways, a non-profit organization behind the Whole Grains Council and The Mediterranean Foods Alliance, has launched “Latino Nutrition in Your Community,” an initiative designed to encourage health organizations, businesses and individuals to spread word that making healthy food and lifestyle choices may help reduce the rise of chronic disease facing the Latino community.

The initiative is centered on Oldways Latino Nutrition Collection, which is a free on-line resource that provides a variety of bilingual nutrition tools, including practical tips, recipes and health information.

Through Oct. 15 Oldways will offer free printed copies of the Camino Magico bilingual supermarket guide and its illustrated Latin American Diet Pyramid poster.

“Latinos, the fastest growing segment of American society, face serious health risks as they replace the nutritious foods of their traditional diets with a typical Western diet known for unhealthy foods and oversized portions,” said Sara Baer-Sinnott, president of Oldways. “We are reaching out to Latino organizations nationwide to encourage them to share these tools honoring traditional Latino ingredients and lifestyles with their local communities.”

Oldways said distribution of the free materials is being supported by General Mills, Inc., Herdez/MegaMex, Mission Foods, the National Watermelon Promotion Board, The Peanut Institute, the U.S. Potato Board, the Soyfoods Association of North America, Tambobamaba, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and Kwik’pak Fisheries.