Consuming cold-water fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids could preserve brain health and enhance cognition in middle age, according to a recent study led by researchers at UT Health San Antonio and the Framingham Heart Study. “Our results, albeit exploratory, suggest that higher omega-3 fatty acid concentrations are related to better brain structure and cognitive function in a predominantly middle-aged cohort free of clinical dementia,” according to the study.
What Are Omega-3s?
Omega-3s are a family of essential fatty acids that play an important role in the human body. “Although evidence is mixed, studies indicate that omega-3 fatty acids can protect against all sorts of illnesses, including breast cancer, depression, ADHD, and various inflammatory diseases,” ...
Childhood obesity is not only common for U.S. children, it’s a global epidemic. How can communities address this issue? A new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Meeting the Moment: Learning From Leaders at the Forefront of Change, asked community leaders and researchers to share their experiences in hopes of better understanding and preventing childhood obesity. “It is you who get out there every day and innovate, renovate, and motivate the field to keep going, keep trying, keep striving,” said Jamie Bussel, senior program officer for the RWJF. Let’s explore four key areas community leaders can eliminate childhood obesity!
1. Improve Health Data
Accurate health data is important. For instance, we know Latino adults have higher obesity rates ...
The total economic output, or gross domestic product (GDP), for Latinos in the United States totaled to $2.8 trillion in 2020, up from $1.7 trillion in 2010. If the population of Latinos in the United States were its own country, it would be the fifth-largest GDP in the world. That is larger than the GDPs of France, India, and the United Kingdom, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative’s 2022 Latino GDP report. The Latino GDP report serves as a “factual view of the large and rapidly growing economic contribution of Latinos living in the United States.” Let’s dive deeper into the factors that contribute to the U.S. Latino GDP!
Growth of the Latino GDP
Today, Latinos account for 18.9% of the total U.S. population. As the Latino population has continued to grow ...
Latinos face a number of health disparities and inequities in many aspects including housing, transportation, and overall health. While it’s important to focus on the many barriers that Latinos face, it’s also beneficial to highlight the assets of this diverse population. Latinos have many individual and family strengths they can draw on to be resilience in the face of hardship and guard against the negative effects of adversity on their well-being, according to a new analysis from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. Let’s explore strengths of Latino children, parents, and families!
What Are Latino Children’s Strengths?
The new analysis, which reviewed 35 studies from 2000 to 2022, identified strong social skills as one of the key ...
Isabella Jimenez is a Latina on a mission for health. At age 12, she had an idea for an app that serves as a digital cookbook where young people can learn to cook easy, healthy recipes and find tips in trivia games. She worked hard preparing recipes, creating and testing an app, and securing funding. At age 16, she launched the My Fun Food app. Now age 18, Isabella is an entrepreneur studying business at UT Austin and taking the My Fun Food app – which has a 5.0 rating in the Apple Store – to new levels. “The main purpose of the app is to provide a resource to the community,” Isabella said. “All the recipes are cost efficient, fast and quick, and easy to make.” Let’s explore what’s new since the last time Salud America! caught up with Isabella!
Isabella: ...
Latinos and other people of color face heavy burdens of cancer, diabetes, and more. These disparities are driven by systemic racism and discrimination that make it harder for people of color than their White peers to get equitable healthcare, education, and more. That is why Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio is a part of the Collaborative for Anti-Racism and Equity (CARE), a group that provides tools and resources to help people make connections and inform solutions to advance health and racial equity. As part of this group, we are excited to share a new case study from the Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative (GHDC). The GHDC – a group of community leaders, advocates, public health researchers, and healthcare professionals – resolved racial disparities in ...
You can comment now on the USDA’s new proposed revisions to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages that aim to improve nutrition and promote and support breastfeeding. Proposed changes, based on scientific recommendations from a 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, include: Enhanced buying power for fruits, vegetables.
Increased foods consumed less in adequacy, amount.
More options for cultural eating patterns.
Ability to get the quantity of formula to support any level of breastfeeding.
Requiring all breakfast cereals to meet the whole grain-rich standards that already apply to school nutrition programs and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. USDA is seeking ...
Social media plays a large role in society today. People use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Tik Tok and many other platforms as daily sources for education, entertainment, work, and more. However, can spending too much time on social media have a negative impact? Researchers have continuously studied how social media affects mental health. While the results are mixed, heavy use of social media can contribute to negative factors including cyberbullying, low self-esteem, and social isolation. This is important for Latinos, 98% of whom own a smartphone and who are the highest-percentage users of Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and WhatsApp among racial/ethnic groups. “Hispanics spent almost two more hours per week watching videos, streaming audio and social networking ...
How does COVID-19 affect the brain? Researchers at the Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s & Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio are looking for the answer and need your help. Volunteer for the 7T MRI Study of How COVID-19 Affects the Brain! Study volunteers will get an advanced state-of-the-art MRI scan to compare brain imaging of those recovered from COVID-19 to those who have never tested positive for the infection. “This study is to identify the long-term neurological and psychiatric effects of a COVID-19 infection,” according to the Biggs Institute study team, including Drs. Mitzi Gonzales, Gabriel de Erausquin, Sudha Seshadri, Monica Goss, and Mohamed Habes. To volunteer for the 7T MRI Study, contact Vibhuti Patel (210-450-7186), Erin ...
