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Cliff Despres

Cliff Despres, who has more than a decade of experience in journalism and public relations, is communications director for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.

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Articles by Cliff Despres

A Cultural Way to Get Latino Kids Interested in Health Careers



The U.S. Latino population has grown 243% since 1980. But the number of Latino doctors dropped 22%, a study found. That's why we need programs like Roots to Wings. The innovative Roots to Wings program teams up Latino and Native American middle- and high-schoolers in Washington schools with medical students at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. The teams then "co-mentor" each other. How? The kids teach the medical students about their Mexican-American or Yakama Nation heritage. The medical students teach the kids about medicine and pursuing higher education. “Roots to Wings is actually an educational pathway for underrepresented youth to enter the health sciences,” Dr. Mirna Ramos-Diaz, who leads the program, recently told the Yakima Herald. ...

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Latina Celebs, Activists Team Up to Push Healthy Lifestyles


Karent Sierra, Karla Martinez, Yudy Arias, Chef Lala

TV host Karla Martinez, nutritionist Chef Lala, yoga instructor Yudy Arias, and dentist Karent Sierra are teaming with Colgate Total on a new campaign to empower Latinas to invest in healthy lifestyles, beginning with proper oral health. For the campaign, called Simplemente Saludable (Simply Healthy), each woman will highlight ways to shake up health routines. Karla will speak on women's empowerment and self-help. Karent will open up about the best oral health routine and tips for a healthier smile. Yudy will share new at-home exercise routines. Chef Lala will provide nutritious ways to enjoy traditional Latin cuisine. For example, Chef Lala shared these six tips related nutrition: Apples are a healthy source of sweetness, but they could shake up the plaque that ...

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Salud America! Website, Videos Get a Big Shout-Out



We at Salud America! are dedicated to helping people drive healthy community change for Latino and all kids. That’s why we’re excited to announce that our newly revamped Salud America! website has already won two W³ digital content awards and one Davey Awards from the national Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts: 2017 W³ Awards, Silver, Activism for Websites, Salud America! website 2017 W³ Awards, Silver, Aesthetics for Websites, Salud America! website 2017 Davey Awards, Silver, Film/Video-Health & Wellness for Non-Broadcast, Salud America! Video: Bebidas Azucaradas  “We’re excited by the recognition of our communication work from groups like the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts,” said Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT ...

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Nueva Investigación: Mejores Alimentos Barrios Latinos



Cuatro nuevo informes de investigación en español, infografías, y vídeos animados que hablan de las causas y soluciones innovadoras hacia la obesidad infantil Latina, investigado por Salud America!, una red nacional de prevención basada en UT Health Science Center en San Antonio y fundado por la Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. En muchos barrios latinos, los restaurantes de comida rápida y las tiendas de esquina a menudo superan en número y son más utilizados que los supermercados y mercados de granjeros, lo que resulta en el consumo inadecuado de alimentos saludables y el consumo excesivo de alimentos chatarra—parte de la razón por la cual los niños latinos son más propensos a tener sobrepeso u obesidad que sus pares. ¿Cómo pueden los alimentos y bebidas saludables ...

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Poll: More than 3 in 4 Latinos Say Latinos Face Discrimination


Latin family sitting in the street

Three in four U.S. Latinos (78%) believe Latinos face discrimination in America today, compared to 92% of blacks and 55% of whites who say they face discrimination, according to a new poll. Who is doing the discriminating? Nearly half of Latinos (47%) believe personal prejudice is the bigger problem. A smaller amount (37%) say say discrimination based in laws and government policies is the bigger problem. About 14% say they're equally problematic. The data is from a new poll by National Public Radio (NPR), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Basically what we have found is that discrimination is a type of stressful life experience that has negative effects on health similar to other kinds of stressful experiences," ...

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Rosalie Aguilar: Dedicated to Improving Latino Health


Rosalie Aguilar

Rosalie Aguilar grew up watching her grandfather in his water treatment lab, purging pollutants to produce cleaner drinking water in Mexico. Her grandmother helped Latino reporters cover World War II stories. Aguilar’s successful grandparents gave her a desire to make a big difference to give Latinos a better chance to live a healthy, disease-free life. She’s doing just that as Project Coordinator of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, a national program that creates content to inspire people to drive community change for the health of Latino and all kids. “My childhood experiences have led me to a career trying to help others and improve the health of Latino children and families,” Aguilar said. “That is what motivates me.” Aguilar first joined Dr. Amelie ...

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Report: With Obesity at All-Time High, Latinos Fare Worst



U.S. obesity has reached an all-time high, with overall adult obesity rates surpassing 40% and childhood obesity rates surpassing 20%, according to new CDC data. The news is especially bad for Latinos. Latino adults were more obese (47%) than their black (46.8%), white (37.9%), and Asian (12.7%) peers. Latino children also were more obese (25.8%) than their black (22%), white (14.1%), and Asian (11%) peers. It means 1 in 4 Latino are now obese, regardless of age, according to the new data. “We know the basics of supply and demand help people eat healthier and move more,” said Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, Chief Medical Officer for Prevention at the American Heart Association, in a statement. “It will take a massive push from the food and beverage industry to increase the ...

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New Video: How Latino Parents Can Deal with Bullying


latina girl from bullying video

As if Latino immigrant parents didn’t face enough worry—hostile political climate, wage gaps, lack of access to health care—a new “stressor” is on the rise. Bullying of immigrant children is, sadly, common these days. More than 50 incidents of white students using politics to bully Latino and other minority children have been reported in 26 states, BuzzFeed reports. Feeling a need to help, the nonprofit Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors has released a bilingual video to show Latino immigrant parents how to help their children who are victims of bullying. “At the start of the year, we were inundated with calls from concerned parents who were desperate for information on … how to keep their families safe,” said Sandra Gutierrez, founder and national director for ...

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The Key to a Healthy Life Is Right Under Your Nose


Boy taking toothpaste

Salud America! Guest Blogger Jefferson Dental Care The key to a long, healthy life isn’t fame or fortune. It's right under your nose...it's your mouth! Poor dental health—cavities, tooth loss, and gum disease—are a big problem for many Latinos ages 65 and older. In fact, Latino seniors have among the highest rates of no remaining teeth (25%) and untreated tooth decay (40%). And that's not all. Mouth in Bad Health = Body in Bad Health Poor dental health isn't just bad for your teeth as you age. Dental issues are linked to diabetes, cancers and heart disease, which are each more prevalent among Latinos than the overall population. Inflammation in the body also translates in the mouth, and Latino seniors who suffer from diabetes are also likely to heal less rapidly ...

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