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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.

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Articles by Rosalie Aguilar-Santos

USDA Funds 17 Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs, Several of Them Will Target Latinos



The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded funds to 17 different universities and colleges working to develop and evaluate programs to prevent childhood obesity.  Of the programs that have been selected to receive funding, several will target Latino children, who continue to be a high risk demographic for becoming overweight or obese. Some of the universities which will specifically target Latinos with their programs include the following: California State University: Will work to better understand ways to promote healthier eating behaviors through mindful eating among children & families in the Hispanic community. University of California: Will work to advance the fight against pediatric obesity by focusing on the expansion of both the traditional expanded food ...

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Solving The Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation: A Report to the President From the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity



In 2010, the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, convened and prepared an action plan that was presented to President Barack Obama. The report explains the childhood obesity epidemic and describes policy actions that can be undertaken to improve the health of children in communities throughout the U.S. the report is divided into five sections including: Early childhood health Empowering parents and caregivers Health food in schools Access to healthy affordable food Increasing Physical activity Access the full report ...

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Lawmakers Propose Incentives As A Way to Increase Physical Activity Through the ‘PHIT Act’



How can we work to prevent obesity & chronic disease among Latinos before it happens? We need a culture of health and fitness and with that comes the need to find policies and community oriented solutions that serve to provide Latinos with more opportunities and fewer barriers to physical activity. One plan to get more Americans moving, which was recently proposed by Congress is the "PHIT ACT." According to Phitamerica.org, the bill's aim is to provide an incentive for being fit and healthy and to reduce health care costs. According to the bill, a $1 investment in physical activity would reduce medical expenses by $3.20 and because the most expensive illnesses are often related to weight related issues, investing in health before one gets sick may be a viable solution for ...

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Infographic: Active Kids Learn Better by ALR



According to a new infographic produced by Active Living Research (ALR), children who are active do better in school. In ALR's Active Education Brief, researchers found that students who were more physically active performed better on standardized tests and in subjects like math and reading. Use this infographic to make the case for physical activity in schools. To learn more, access the ALR brief & infographic ...

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As Complete Streets Policies Continue to Spread, Latino Communities Can Benefit Greatly



The number of communities throughout the U.S. adopting Complete Streets policies continues to grow. According to Smart Growth America, in 2014 at least 70 jurisdictions adopted new policies such as resolutions and ordinances, aimed at making roads safer and more livable for all road users. Rather than designing roads that cater to automobiles, Complete Streets policies serve to ensure that communities design streets to be more equitable. By placing greater emphasis on the need for sidewalks, bike lanes, and aesthetics, Complete Streets policies enhance safety and also encourage active transportation. Latino communities throughout the U.S. can greatly benefit from having Complete Streets. In many low-income, minority communities, biking, public transportation and walking are ...

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Lawmakers Propose 20 Minutes of Daily Physical Activity For K-5 Students in Virginia



Policymakers in Virginia, a state with one of the largest Salvadorean populations in the U.S., have proposed legislation that would require all K-5th grade schools to offer students at least 20 minutes of daily physical activity. If passed the new law would make physical activity a priority for students in the state of Virginia, by ensuring that all students have the opportunity to participate in activities such as PE, recess, and extracurricular activities on a day to day basis. According to a Newsplex.com report, Senator John Miller of Newport News, who introduced the bill into the Senate said: "Requiring 20 minutes of physical activity every day a child is in school is the right thing to do and it will not require additional funding..." The importance making physical ...

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Leaders Break Ground on New Public Space ‘Plaza de Las Americas’ in Upper Manhattan



Leaders in Manhattan broke ground last Friday on what will soon be a place for residents and visitors to gather for Farmers' markets and community events. The Plaza de Las Americas will not only bring water and electricity to local vendors for the first time, but according to a StreetsblogNYC post, it will also serve to beautify the predominantly Dominican neighborhood of Washington Heights with trees, lighting, benches, tables, chairs, and a fountain. Another added benefit to this project is that it may help improve traffic safety conditions. StreetsblogNYC reports that at least six pedestrians and bicyclists have been injured on Broadway road where the new plaza is set to be built. Click here to learn more. Learn more about Latino kids and the lack of safe places for ...

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New Study Finds Kids Eat Too Much Pizza



Do kids eat too much pizza? According to a recent study published in Pediatrics, pizza is the 2nd greatest source of caloric intake for youth between the ages of 2-19. Researchers also learned that on any given day 1 in 5 kids eat pizza and that when they do, they consume an additional 230 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 484 milligrams of sodium. When asked by reporters from ABC-7 what he thought about the study's findings, Daniel Cisneros a student from Canutillo High in El Paso, Texas responded: "I'm not surprised whatsoever. I think kids do eat too much pizza and they don't pay attention to much of the health facts that are involved with it." Reporters at ABC-7 also looked at what a typical school lunch menu looks like for local schools and found that on average pizza is ...

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Ask Big Soda to Stop Targeting Latino Youth by Using ‘The Open Truth’ Campaign’s Resources



In San Francisco youth are working to raise awareness of the dangers that sugary beverage consumption hold, through the Open Truth Campaign. To raise awareness of the issue, youth have created their own poems and videos to discuss just how aggressively big soda companies are in their use of marketing tactics which target Latino and black youth. The campaign also features billboards which have been placed throughout San Francisco's metro system and will rely largely on social media use to prompt communities to act. To join the Open Truth Movement in speaking out against soda, access some of their resources below: Download Open Truth ads here. Create your own ad, by taking a selfie & creating a "Big Soda, stop targeting me" flyer or poster. Take action by visiting ...

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