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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

Water and the Health of Latino Kids


latina girl drinking from water fountain

Did you know Mexican-American kids drink less plain water than white kids? They also are more likely to perceive tap water as unsafe? In fact, negative perceptions of school water fountains were associated with sugary drink intake among Latino kids, according to new Sugary Drinks and Latino Kids research from Salud America!, an obesity prevention network under Dr. Amelie Ramirez at UT Health San Antonio. What changes can promote water? When New York elementary and middle schools replaced vending machines with water jets, students’ likelihood of being overweight dropped 0.9 percentage points among boys and 0.6 points among girls. Also, kids would consume 205 fewer calories a day by replacing sugary drink consumption with low-fat milk at meals and water between meals. What ...

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How One Latina Fought the ‘Invisible Disease’



When she turned 50, Jacqueline “Jackie” Marino quit smoking. A year after the Puerto Rican native and resident of Fairfax Station, Va., kicked the habit as a gift to herself and in response to her son's pleas, she felt in great health... ...except a nagging sinus infection in 2014. Jackie went to an allergist about her sinus infection. Because she had coughed up blood, the doctor sent her for an imaging evaluation; it showed a spot on her lung. Could it be lung cancer? Lung cancer, dubbed an “invisible disease,” often doesn’t manifest until diagnosed in later stages, when there are fewer chances for long-term survival. For Latinos, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men and second-leading for women, according to the American Cancer Society. Jackie needed ...

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Mercedes Watson: Social Worker Brings Healing to Others


Mercedes Watson Garcia

The soft touch of a crocheted blanket reminds Mercedes Watson of her grandmother, who taught her how to crochet and speak Spanish. Watson, who has put a lot of time and creativity into making many beautiful hand-crocheted blankets, she also is dedicating her efforts toward cancer research will bring healing and unique benefits for Latino health via community resources and patient navigation. Despite becoming pregnant as a high-school senior with her daughter, Ally, Watson overcame many struggles and was determined to continue her education. She earned a master’s degree from San Diego State University. She has gone on to become a medical social worker for Cancer Resource Center of the Desert, Aria Hospice, and Gentiva Home Health. To increase her training, she applied for ...

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Sugary Drinks Can Seriously Impact Health for Latino Preschoolers



Sugary drinks are a rising threat to the health of Latino preschoolers. Being Latino and drinking sugary beverages at least once in the past week were associated with 2.3 times the odds of severe obesity in kindergarten, which can lead to obesity-related diseases, according to a study. The study is part of a research review, Sugary Drinks and Latino Kids, released today by Salud America!, an obesity prevention network at UT Health San Antonio, and Bridging the Gap, an obesity research team at the University of Illinois. “We have to work together to do more to reduce sugar consumption and help kids grow up at a healthy weight, well before they ever enter kindergarten,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT ...

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Investigación: Los niños latinos consumen más bebidas azucaradas que los niños no latinos



Los bebés latinos son dos veces más propensos a recibir bebidas azucaradas que sus pares no Latinos, y tres de cada cuatro niños latinos han tenido una bebida azucarada a la edad de 2 años, lo que contribuye a sus tasas altas de obesidad, de acuerdo con un nuevo paquete en español de la investigación realizada por Salud América!, la red nacional de prevención de obesidad de UT Health San Antonio. El paquete de investigación de Salud América!, Bebidas azucaradas y los niños latinos, examina la ciencia más reciente sobre la salud de los latinos de 0-5 años y hace recomendaciones de política para reducir el consumo: Video Animado Infografía 1 Infografía 2 Infografía 3 Más información sobre esto aquí. (Inglés) La investigación muestra que los ...

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One Group’s Epic Effort to Solve Hunger and Boost Latino Health


nclr charla food health education promotor

SaludToday Guest Blogger UnidosUS, Formerly: National Council of La Raza (NCLR) The holidays are upon us. So is the temptation for Latino and all families to eat, drink and be merry—but there are ways to approach the season with an eye toward choosing nutritious food, cooking healthy meals, and increasing physical activity in order to enjoy better health. These lessons are at the heart of UnidosUS's Comprando Rico y Sano program. The program, led by UnidosUS's Institute for Hispanic Health with support from WalMart Foundation, uses a culturally and linguistically sensitive approach and community health workers—called promotores de salud—from 20 partner groups to reduce local hunger and instill healthy shopping and eating habits among Latinos. UnidosUS trains the ...

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Tweetchat: How to Solve the Crisis of Sugary Drinks and Latino Kids


Latino toddler kid with sugury drink obesity

Three of every four Latino kids have had a sugary drink by their second birthday, compared to less than half of white kids. Regular consumption can have alarming health consequences. In fact, being Latino and drinking sugary beverages at least once in the past week were associated with 2.3 times the odds of severe obesity in kindergarten, which can lead to diabetes and worse, according to new research package to be released Dec. 5, 2016, from Salud America!, an obesity prevention network at UT Health San Antonio, and Bridging the Gap, an obesity research team at the University of Illinois. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, to tweet about the new research and strategies to reduce consumption of sugary drinks among Latino kids: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “The ...

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How Many of Us Really Brush Twice a Day?


dental health brushing teeth

Salud America! Guest Blogger Jefferson Dental Care You've heard it before: Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing are two of the best ways to keep your mouth healthy. But do Latinos and others follow this advice? Actually, 30% of Americans do not brush their teeth twice a day, according to figures from the American Dental Association. Skipping brushing can lead to tooth decay—which disproportionately occurs in Latino children—tooth loss and other serious health problems. “Poor oral health has been linked to chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart attack, stroke, breast cancer and many others,” said Dr. Leslie Renee Townsend, regional dental director for Jefferson Dental Care. “Moreover, at-home dental care is crucial to keeping plaque and tartar from ...

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Zandra Perez: Nursing Latinos to Health


Zandra Perez

Although she wasn’t allowed to speak Spanish growing up, Zandra Perez’s grandmother made sure she knew her roots by helping her become bilingual. Perez also draws on her faith and believes in the value of all lives. As such, Perez is working hard as a nurse to provide quality care for underserved Latinos. She earned her nursing degree from the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and is currently one of two educators working to recruit rural area clinics to participate in eradicating tuberculosis by screening and treating for latent tuberculosis. Perez hopes to educate her patients on the importance of health screenings and preventative care. So she applied for the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program, which recruits 25 master’s-level students ...

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