Being the first major United States City to pass a soda tax, Philadelphia (14% Latino) now faces a legal battle with the American Beverage Association (ABA). For Latino kids, who's consumption of sugary drink is often higher than their white peers, this is a step back for the future of their health. In fact, Latino kids are often targeted by media to drink more sugary beverages and junk food, leading them to consume unhealthy food and drink which often lead them toward diet-related health risks like heart disease, high blood sugar, and or diabetes. Millions of dollars have already been spent on opposition from ABA to keep the soda tax measure from passing, but now ABA hopes to keep the tax from being implemented before it's projected start date in January 2017. Mayor Jim ...
Do you have a home or small urban garden? Compost pile? According to a new study, you may be helping the environment and reducing climate change. Researchers from the University of California at Santa Barbara studied how well-tended gardens for every family home in California may help increase the chance of the state reaching its goal of reducing emissions by 2020. The study reveals that anyone who gardens in their home or backyard could help contribute to reducing two pounds of carbon emissions for every pound of homegrown vegetables consumed. Latino's often miss out on gardening opportunities or fresh food access in their neighborhoods, studies show. Reducing access to growing healthy foods could also increase the high risks that Latino's already face in dealing with ...
Cardenas, an Ontario-based grocery chain in Riverside County (47.9% Latino) that markets it's products to Latino shoppers, are now changing their store's checkouts, offering healthier snacks after listening to shoppers like Alejandra Padilla. Why? Padilla, a Latina mom of three, wants the checkouts to be filled with healthy convenient options like apple slices, nuts, trail mix and water, as many times she must deal with their kids wanting the unhealthy candy and soda's displayed at checkouts, she explained to Press Enterprise. Latinos are often more at risk for health problems like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and other diet-related diseases the American Heart Association reports, but encouraging healthier foods, may help play a part in decreasing diet-related ...
Bilingual efforts in educating students about the benefits of living a healthy life are changing Colorado (21.3% Latino) charter schools statewide. The Colorado Health Foundation joined up with the Colorado League of Charter Schools to focus on health and wellness in schools. The way the program works is allowing nearby charter schools to collaborate with each other and create "pods" that are more sustainable, Rainey Wikstrom explained to Watchdog. Working in school wellness since 2004, Wikstrom has since then been a leader in increasing healthier school food, physical activity and teacher training for schools in the area. The program creates these hubs of health, allowing up to three charter schools to write a grant together, collaborate with each other and see what models ...
If you had grown vegetables as a kid, you might be more likely to eat your greens, reports a new study. The study put on by researchers from the University of Florida interviewed over 1,300 students and found that 30% of those who gardened as a child ate 2.9 cups of fruits and vegetables a day versus those who only may have watched parents garden, eating 2.4 cups of fruits and vegetables per day. "Hands on experience seems to matter," Anne Mathews, UF/IFAS assistant professor told Newswise. Other studies show that Latino kids are more likely to be advertised unhealthy foods and have access to unhealthy fast food and tobacco outlets within walking distance of their schools. Farm-to-school, school gardens, and agriculture or STEM farming in schools may help increase more ...
All kids deserve to have a variety of healthy snack and school food options throughout the day, as most students eat almost more than half of their daily calories at school, but many majority Latino- schools often don't offer as many healthy fresh fruit and vegetables or salads, reports a study from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. However, a new legislation within Sacramento, Calif. schools (22.7% Latino) is opening the door for schools to sell a larger selection of healthy snacks that will follow current nutritional standards. The 2016 nutritional standards ensure school snacks must be at or under 200 calories, have no trans fats, have less than 35% weight from total sugars, can be made with whole grains and are limited to less than 230 mg of sodium. Some of ...
Back in 2009 Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas, was about to go bankrupt, but President Michael Sorrell flipped the economic future of the school and the students by creating a farm out of the football field. "Why should we tie everyone's future to athletic success?" Sorrell asked PBS. The school has not only been growing healthy food but has also been growing in the student Latino population, where 20 percent of incoming students in 2015 were Latino, Sorrell told The Atlantic. Dallas, Texas with 39.5% Latino population, is mainly an urban population, where small college's like Quinn College can open their doors to the growing college ready Latino population, explained Sorrell. The farm is attended and worked on by students to help fund their education, feed populations in ...
Miami-Dade (66.8% Latino) has a culturally diverse population of over 2.7 million people, but nearly one in three children are living in poverty and in turn dealing with higher health disparities. In fact, various studies, including one from Havard T.H. Chan, has shown that income level and where you live can impact the health and diet of families. However, new initiatives are changing the future of health in Miami-Dade and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is taking notice, highlighting the county as a winner of the Culture of Health prize. Miami-Dade's Consortium for a Healthier Miami-Dade Country has been recognized by RWJF, in creating a culture of health with access to parks that have free fitness equipment, access to healthier foods, and other whole community ...
When did it become cool to eat vegetables? For teenagers, it's when they are fighting injustices and rebelling against the status quo. A new study took place in a school in New Braunfels, Texas (35% Latino) revealing that teens are more likely to choose healthier snacks when they know they are being targeted to eat junk foods. Latino teens are more likely to be targeted for soda and junk food ads. In fact, some students are even targeted by junk food marketing in their own schools! However, the study reveals that if teens know they are being targeted, they are more likely to skip over unhealthy snacks. In the study, two groups of students were given information about healthy eating. One group read about the benefits of a balanced diet while the other group was informed ...
