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Amanda Merck

Merck completed her MPH with a concentration in Physical Activity and Health. She curates content for Salud America! (@SaludAmerica), a Latino childhood obesity prevention project based at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. She focuses on the latest research, resources, and stories related to policy, systems, and environmental changes to enhance equitable access to safe places for kids and families to walk, bike, and play.

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Articles by Amanda Merck

Report: Addressing Latino Obesity in San Antonio and South Texas



A new report on the recent 2nd Annual SALSI Research Forum: Latino Obesity highlights innovative strategies and programs to reduce obesity among San Antonio and South Texas Latinos. Nearly 75% of Latinos were overweight or obese in Texas as of 2009. That’s why Latino obesity-focused research and programs are so vital. “The researchers and leaders present at the forum are working at ‘ground zero’ of the Latino obesity epidemic in Texas,” said Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, which coordinated the forum with UT San Antonio. “It’s important to highlight these efforts to better understand what works to encourage Latinos’ healthier lifestyles.” The forum on May 10, ...

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Study to Use Camera/Computer Technology to Analyze Kids’ Diets



The Social and Health Research Center in San Antonio has received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use cameras and innovative computer software to estimate children’s dietary intake. The proposed instrument is the Digital Food Imaging Analysis technique (DFIA). The DFIA will program cameras and develop software to interface with the USDA nutrition database for nutrient analysis, in hopes of providing the most comprehensive and quantitative estimation of children’s food consumption and nutrient analysis. The system would photograph kids' meal trays before and after they ate. The computer system would analyze the photos to calculate exact calories eaten and values of more than 100 other nutrients. Parents will receive the data for their ...

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San Antonio Makes Big Push to Thwart Latino Childhood Obesity



Efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic are reaching new heights all across San Antonio, a city with a large Latino population: City officials have rolled out SAbalance, a new Web site and social media campaign to increase awareness of local health and wellness opportunities. Mayor Julián Castro has placed public health and education on the front-burner of the city’s agenda. The mayor also appointed a Mayor’s Fitness Council, which features Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Ramirez leads Salud America! The RWJF Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children, based at the IHPR. IHPR researchers are working with the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas to ...

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Free ‘Multicultural’ Webinar on June 2 Focuses on Latinos, African Americans



Editor’s Note: This post is part of an ongoing series that will highlight the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s work in Latino communities across the country. SaludToday Guest Blogger: Debra Joy Pérez Latinos in the United States are disproportionately affected by childhood obesity, chronic disease, access to health care and other health issues—all of which are impacted by social and economic factors in the communities in which we live, learn, work and play. Understanding these issues in their larger context is critical to addressing and solving them. And Latino media play a major role in helping us do both. In 2009, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) polled Latino and African-American journalists about what information they most needed for reporting on major health ...

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VIDEOS: Forum Touts Innovative Ways to Tackle Latino Obesity



The 2nd Annual SALSI Research Forum: Latino Obesity united UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), UT San Antonio (UTSA), and community researchers and advocates to share current Latino health disparities and obesity research and program advancements on May 10, 2011, in San Antonio. ""It's important to highlight and learn from these efforts, to gain better knowledge of what works best to encourage healthier lifestyles among Latinos," said Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UTHSCSA, the team that coordinated the forum with UTSA. The forum was made possible by the San Antonio Life Science Institute (SALSI). VIDEO: UT San Antonio Researchers: Drs. Zenong Yin, Meizi He, Lesli Biediger-Friedman, and Gayle ...

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NBA All-Star Creates ‘Fitness Break’ Videos for Students



NBA All-Star Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics, in collaboration with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, created six fun fitness breaks students can do anywhere. The six short fitness breaks are a fun way to create an environment of physical activity within the halls of the school. The activities require no equipment and all ages can participate and benefit from the movement, exercise and flexibility activities. Learn more here and watch one of Pierce's fitness breaks here or ...

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Just the Facts: Latino Childhood Obesity



Leadership for Healthy Communities, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has a fact sheet in English and Spanish that highlights the prevalence, consequences and causes of overweight and obesity among Latino youth. While childhood obesity has increased significantly throughout the general population, children from minority communities, particularly Latinos, have been disproportionately affected. Why are Latino rates so much higher? Read the fact sheet and find out the many ...

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Check Out the Latest in Latino Fitness, Cancer Survival, Population Growth and More



Check out the latest in health disparities—from San Antonio's push to curb Latino childhood obesity to all aspects of the Latino population boom—in the latest E-newsletter from the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. View the IHPR E-newsletter to see: Story: “BFF” Helps Latina Girl Scouts Get Physically Active (Pg 1) Story: Targeting Moms, Daughters to Encourage Use of HPV Vaccine on Border (Pg 3) Story and Video: Latest in Latino Cancer Survivorship (Pg 5) Story: San Antonio’s Big Push to Thwart Latino Child Obesity (Pg 6) Story: Latino Population Boom: What Does it Mean? (Pg 7) Find much more on local and national health disparities-related news, funding, resources and events by ...

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San Antonio Restaurants Buying into Healthier Menu Program



¡Por Vida!, launched in October 2010, is a San Antonio restaurant recognition program that aims to help adults and children make healthier food choices by identifying menu items that meet certain nutritional guidelines. ¡Por Vida! restaurants must offer menu items that fit certain standards on: Calories Total Fat Saturated Fat Trans-fat Sodium No Fried Food Nine restaurants participate in the program, including McDonald's, Pico de Gallo, and more. The local Egg & I restaurants are the latest to join the program, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. The restaurant chain hase a new “Smarter Choice” kid’s menu for its five local stores and 43 stores nationwide. ¡Por Vida! plans to continue getting more restaurants on board, and aim to work with ...

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