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Lisa

Articles by Lisa

Soda Tax Proposal Pops Up In Seattle



After other cities like Santa Fe and Wisconsin across the country are looking towards cutting back on obesity and funding health or education programs with a sugary beverage tax, now Seattle's Mayor is looking towards the benefits a sugary beverage tax could bring to the city. What does the city think about it? Just from a picture on local news King 5's Facebook page, asking if Seattle should tax sugary drinks to help pay for education, there are already 142 shares, 2,016 likes, and 216 "loves", plus thousands of comments, some agreeing with the tax and some disapproving any more taxes of any kind. The debate is not uncommon, as many cities across the country are discussing the benefits that a sugary beverage tax could bring to low-income families that often deal with fewer ...

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Support for Santa Fe Soda Tax Still Standing Strong



Support is still growing strong for Santa Fe's city soda tax, where last week Mayor Javier Gonzales spoke about the benefits for pre-K funding the tax could bring in for the city. The sugary drink tax is estimated to bring in around $7 million dollars to help fund pre-kindergarten education. This week, the city committee meeting on Monday cleared the tax as the committee voted 3 to 1 to recommend approval. According to local Santa Fe New Mexican, nearly two dozen speakers urged the councilors to support the soda tax initiative and put it before voters for the special election in May, including Moms like Meredy Talbot-Zorn who told councilors while holding her young daughter that many kids who are poor are one average 18 months behind their peers in education. Chamber of ...

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West Virginians Support Sugary Drink Tax



According to the Register-Herald, a poll was taken by the American Heart Association (AHA) recently showed that 60% of around 600 respondents favor taxing sugary drinks in West Virginia. From the same poll 53% West Virginians said they would support a 1 to cent per ounce tax on sugary drinks. But what could a sugary drink tax do for the community and its health? According to Harvard University School of Public Health study, not only would a 2 cent per ounce tax generate $128 million for the state, but also help decrease sugary drinks for the community in turn reducing type 2 diabetes by 2 % and over 10 years could save over $160 million dollars in health care costs. Many people in the survey fear that children will develop the diseases that are linked with daily consumption ...

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Georgia Schools “Go Green” with Local Produce



Dawn Lewis, director of culinary services for Glynn County schools told local news Golden Isles that 20% of the menu items at their school are now locally sourced. Working towards the Vision 2020 for School Nutrition Initiative, the school hopes to implement healthier local foods into the school's menu, highlighting Georgia farmers and the school's local campus garden. At Oglethorpe Point Elementary School vegetables are being grown in the campus garden, like broccoli, carrots, and collard greens. All maintained by pre-k and kinder students and eaten as part of the curriculum. The school is also using garden art to entice students to learn more about healthy foods, letting students paint or make art for the garden like painted rain barrels. The teachers are excited about ...

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Santa Fe Mayor Speaks Up for Soda Tax



According to a local newspaper, Santa Fe New Mexican, Mayor Javier Gonzales, who proposed a soda tax policy to support pre-kinder education will speak up about this proposal and more at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center this Wednesday at the annual State of the City address. Gonzales will speak about the proposal he made to increase an estimated $7 million for funding for pre-k across the city, especially for city's some 966 3 and 4-year-olds who do not have a pre-k education. “It has to be that way if we truly want to see a break in this cycle of poverty, a breakdown of the barriers that are stopping our kids in their tracks from achieving their full potential,” Mayor Gonzales told Santa Fe New Mexican News. “It’s just reality of why you need a new revenue ...

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How Antibiotic Exposure May Impact Latino Childhood Obesity



Researchers from the University of California San Francisco recently found the risk of early rapid weight gain and obesity at age 2 years among infants that were exposed to antibiotics in the first 6 months of life. The researchers evaluated the type and frequency of antibiotic exposure at 6 months and 1 year of life and their descriptions of infant dietary intake. The cohort of women studied was 97% Latina and was recruited at prenatal clinics in 2012 and 2014. Recent studies suggest that there are harmful effects of antibiotics on the healthy gut in this developmental period before 12 months of age and can increase obesity risk, reported Childhood Obesity. Results indicated that antibiotics exposure, most commonly amoxicillin was greater among obese 2-year-olds (40%) compared ...

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Sustainability Research Grant Competition Seeks Groundbreaking Research Ideas



A new $21,367 dollar grant for a one-year investigation is being awarded to meet global research needs. The 2017 Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition (BCFN) is looking for groundbreaking research ideas around the sustainability of food systems. BCFN grants support PhD and postdoctoral researchers under the age of 35 or who are pursuing or completed a PhD in the field of food and nutrition. Researchers who are currently undergoing research or have new research are encouraged to submit projects online through the BCFN website by June 28th. Three awards will be given and all finalists will be a part of the BCFN Alumni to keep topics and dialogue alive on these subjects. To learn more about this research grant opportunity, click ...

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Health Warning Labels Proposed for Sugary Sports Drinks



In California, a new bill to warn consumers of the sugars in sports drinks is making its way before the senate health committee in late March or early April, according to The Californian. “The State of California continues to see a rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes among its residents and it is occurring at younger and younger ages,” Senator Bill Monning said. “Strong and compelling scientific evidence clearly shows drinking sodas, sports drinks, and other sugary drinks heightens your risk for preventable chronic diseases.” In a state like California, where Latinos outnumber whites, research shows that Latino youth consume far more sugar-sweetened beverages than their white peers, which can lead to higher health risks and disparities among Latino youth. In fact, Latino ...

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CSPI Calls Out Chili’s For Soda on Kids’ Menus



The Center for Science in the Public Interest is asking for your help to ensure Chili's removes soda from kids' menus. Latino kids, who are often more marketed sodas than their white peers consume more sugary drinks than their white peers, where 74% of Latinos have had a sugary drink by age two. Research also shows that Latino high-school students have about three or more sugary drinks a day, and with each extra sugary drink the risk of becoming an obese adult jumps to 60%! Many restaurants have already taken the healthy step to remove sodas from kids' menus, including Burger King, Wendy's, Dairy Queen, Jack in the Box, Applebee's and McDonald's! However, Chili's Grill & Bars continue to have soda on their kids' menus. One in every three children in our communities is ...

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