About the Author

Author Picture

Rosalie Aguilar-Santos

Rosalie Aguilar Santos, MS, is Salud America!'s national project coordinator. She is passionate about nutrition, physical activity, and opportunities to engage communities in advocacy actions to promote Latino childhood health.

Connect with Rosalie:
Twitter Link

Articles by Rosalie Aguilar-Santos

This Week Join the AHA’s Color Your Plate Social Media Challenge!



In case you hadn't heard September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month! That means that parents, teachers, students, and individuals throughout the country like YOU have a special opportunity to take part in a national movement to stand for the health of children. Latino children are especially at risk for becoming overweight or obese so our aim at Salud America! is to equip concerned individuals with the resources they need to reverse the trend. Because obesity affects health in numerous ways (both during and beyond childhood) the American Heart Association (AHA) has created a month long campaign to help you raise awareness of the issue in your own community! The AHA's month long Life is Why Family Health Challenge™ campaign will give you the opportunity to  share ...

Read More

A Teen’s Dream: Short Film



Latino communities often do not have the same access to gyms, recreational activities, and after school programs that predominantly Caucasian areas do.  Access to these resources provides the critical building blocks for success in school and career. Here is one young man's story about how his passion for sport changes his life outcomes: Get involved by learning about safe spaces, petitioning for safer routes to school, or after school ...

Read More

Infographic: How A Bike Lane Is Born



We know that bike lanes are a powerful prescription in the fight against obesity. But bike lanes aren't created overnight by magic bike infrastructure fairies. It can take months or even years for a bike lane to come to fruition. This infographic takes a  look at the process behind creating a bike lane. Our Salud Heroes have been active in helping to expand walk/bike lanes for children and even organizing bike clubs. Step up and help end obesity in Latino communities by building bike lanes in your ...

Read More

Guide: Designing Active Cities



Physical inactivity is not only harmful to one's health, it drastically reduces economic productivity. Active cities have lower crime, reduced pollution, better civic engagement, and improved average productivity. Designed to move created a guide for city leaders including: Why we need active cities How to encourage activity Which cities are doing this well Tools and resources You can make a difference, even if you are not a city planner or politician. Look for those who are creating change in your community using Salud America's change finder. Active Cities Guide ...

Read More

Fact Sheet: What Works For Latino Children & Adolescents



Children and adolescents of Latino/Hispanic background often face challenges that differ from other subpopulations in the United States. Language barriers, issues related to parental citizenship status, and the economic disadvantages often faced by these children and adolescents can result in various negative outcomes, such as depression, substance abuse, gang-related violence, and suicide. While several programs and interventions targeting Latino children have been implemented over the last decade, data on what out-of-school time programs and approaches work among this population are scarce. This literature review synthesizes findings from 33 random assignment experimental intent-to-treat evaluations of social interventions that specifically targeted Latino children and adolescents, ...

Read More

Study: Urban Hispanic School Children Move Less and Have Higher Rates of Obesity and Insulin Resistance



Urban environments can increase risk for development of obesity, insulin resistance (IR), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by limiting physical activity. This study examined, in a cohort of urban Hispanic youth, the relationship between daily physical activity (PA) measured by GPS, insulin resistance and cardiovascular fitness. The researchers found that moderate and vigorous physical activity was extremely low in the youth they surveyed, possibly contributing to insulin resistance and obesity. The data from this study suggest that children in urban settings confront physical, cultural, and attitudinal barriers that severely limit physical activity. The urban built environment near the school in this study (i.e. high crime area abutting a major highway) could markedly impede ...

Read More

Resources From the Oliver Foundation



The Oliver Foundation is a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to preventing childhood obesity. They provide a variety of resources for students, educators, parents, and health professionals, with a strong emphasis on eating/preparing nutritious foods and maintaining healthy weight. The Oliver Foundation also offers grants for schools and summer programs aimed at improving eating or physical ...

Read More

Let’s Move: Faith & Communities Resources for Community Leaders



Let’s Move: Faith and Communities seeks to equip community-based health leaders with resources that can be adapted to fit the needs and goals of their community. Their web-based programs and training are free to community health leaders. The Let’s Move Faith and Communities toolkit is full of resources and guidance on how faith-based and neighborhood organizations can initiate, expand, and coordinate activities that make their communities places of wellness for kids and families. Whether you are already a community leader looking for ideas, or someone looking to get involved, there are free resources available for use. Check out a full directory of Let's Move offerings ...

Read More

How do Race and Ethnicity Influence Childhood Obesity?



Obesity is a serious public health problem in the US and can affect anyone regardless of age. In particular, childhood obesity prevalence remains high. As well as compromising a child's immediate health, obesity can also negatively influence long-term health dramatically. Unfortunately, some racial and ethnic groups are affected by obesity much more than others. On average, childhood obesity in the US has not changed significantly since 2003-2004, and overall, approximately 17% of all children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese - a total of 12.7 million. Significant disparities exist in obesity prevalence between different racial and ethnic groups. The CDC report the following obesity prevalence percentages among different youth demographics: Hispanic youth - ...

Read More