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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

Resources on Media Use Among US Hispanic Millennials



Patterns of media usage among Hispanics varies by age group---something food marketers are keenly aware of. According to Joline McGoldrick, research director, of Dynamic Logic/Millward Brown, Hispanic Millenials---those born after 1980---are more likely to use their smartphones for accessing the internet than to watch TV. On the other hand those categorized as Generation X (born between 1965-1980) are more to watch TV than to access the internet via mobile phone. By understanding how Latinos use media, we can also gain insight into how marketers of junk food target this group with their ads, and work to promote healthier marketing. Find more resources related to Media Use Among US Hispanics by visiting the resources below: US Hispanic Millennials The 'Most-First ...

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Texas Mayor Challenges His Community to Get Fit



Does your community have safe places for recreation? Several Latino communities don't have access to safe places for outdoor or indoor play. However, communities can work together find viable solutions to this problem. In this video submitted to the HEB Community Challenge, Mayor Don Keil of Seguin, TX speaks of the outdoor facilities that the city has worked to make available to the community.  According to Mayor Keil, there's still more to come. He challenges his community to get out  and use these facilities. Raising awareness of living a healthy and active lifestyle (the way this mayor has) is an important way to gain community support for initiatives aimed at growing healthy change. Is your mayor up for the challenge? Read more about about how your city's mayor can ...

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Join The Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets



In case you haven't heard Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx is challenging all mayors and local elected officials to work towards safer streets in their community. In order to take part in this challenge, elected officials must be interested in identifying barriers to street safety and addressing them within the next year by developing a plan of action. Road users of all ages and abilities deserve the right to safe streets and alternative transportation options, and local officials are in the position to make these opportunities available. Mayors and elected officials who take part in the challenge will also be invited to attend the Mayors' Summit for Safer People, Safer Streets in March, where they will learn how to take action. Some of the areas identified as ...

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Social Media Uproar Causes Texas School District to Remove the ‘Taco dog’ & Breakfast Sweets From It’s Menu



To get the most out of their school day, kids need healthy food options. One El Paso, Texas school district, Socorro Independent School District, is now striving to provide students with healthier foods at both breakfast and lunch time. According to an El Paso Times news article, the district held a workshop on January 6, 2015 to provide the community with more information on national guidelines for food items on the school's menu. At the workshop parents and board trustees expressed concerns about the nutritional value of some of the menu items served to students. The district's Nutrition services Director Shelley Chenausky also announced that the district would be removing items like pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread), Pop Tarts, and donuts from the breakfast menu. At lunch ...

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Recess Moves: A Toolkit for Quality Recess



Having time for recess is important to the physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual well-being of a child. In 2010, the Minnesota Legislature looked at the benefits of recess, resulting in the “Healthy Kids Bill.” The bill authorized the Minnesota Department of Education to develop guidelines for recess and to develop the Recess Moves toolkit, which provides examples for encouraging students to increase their levels of activity. Access the toolkit ...

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President Launches New National Initiative to Get ‘Every Kid in a Park’



President Barack Obama has just announced the launch of a new initiative designed to get kids in parks! The Every Kid in a Park initiative will provide 4th graders and their families with free access to national parks for a whole year. Along with providing students with this important opportunity to experience the outdoors, the president also announced the designation of three new National Monuments across the U.S. The Every Kid in a Park initiative will expand opportunities for children by Making it easy for schools and families to plan trips by providing information about nearby parks, waters, & student programming; Providing transportation support to schools with the greatest need, through the Ticket to Ride program; and Providing educational materials via ...

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Recess Bill for Elementary Schools in Minnesota



Legislators in Minnesota, a state whose Latino population is quickly growing, are setting a healthy example for other states by working to enact legislation that would ensure all elementary school students get recess. According to the bill's text, school districts would be required to include a recess policy in their wellness policy and publish the total minutes  of recess provided to students on the district's website. In the bill law makers acknowledge rising childhood obesity rates and the need for more physical activity. The bill also states that  Minnesota strives to be the healthiest state in the nation and that children must be encouraged to "engage in physical activity so they can develop a healthy mind and body." Read more about this here. Access Minnesota's Recess ...

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Idaho Legislators Compete in Fitness Challenge to Prevent Childhood Obesity



Senators and representatives in Idaho, a state with a quickly growing Latino community,  are tracking their steps, water intake, and servings of fruits and vegetables as part of a month long, friendly competition aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and fighting childhood obesity. According to a Fox9 report 50 state legislators are taking part in a competition organized by health insurance provider Blue Cross of Idaho. At the end of the competition the three legislators who track the most physical activity and record eating more fruits and vegetables will win $5,000 from the Blue Cross of Idaho to go toward providing healthier options to elementary school children in their district. Funds will provide for outdoor exercise equipment, healthier meal options, and any other ...

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‘Sidewalks Matter’ Says Local Physician in Springfield, MA



What can communities do to encourage physical activity and protect the environment? According to Dr. Marty Nathan of Springfield, Massachusetts the answer is simple---remove barriers to walking by fixing and maintaining sidewalks. Dr. Nathan, who works as a physician in the North End of Springfield, a predominantly Latino side of town, believes that walking can prevent three things that cause us harm: obesity, air pollution and climate change. "I try as much as I can to avoid using cars to get where I need to go," Nathan said in a MassLive editorial. In the editorial Dr. Nathan speaks of how many of the low-income patients she sees depend on having safe places to walk, to get to jobs, stores and services. "Their health suffers when that cheapest of exercise forms – ...

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