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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

#SaludTues Tweetchat 5/19/15: “How to get More Healthy Drinks in Communities”


Healthy Drinks in Communities water sugary drinks

When it comes to sugary drinks, we know the research. It puts kids at a higher risk for diet-related disease and tooth decay. Families have a role to play in reducing sugary drink consumption. But so do communities! Join us and our co-hosts on May 19, 2015 and use #SaludTues to tweet about how families can drink healthier at home and ways to encourage healthy drinking in their communities: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to get More Healthy Drinks in Communities” DATE: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: The Center for Science in the Public Interest (@CSPI), Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (@LCHC_CA) We’ll open the floor to your stories and ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 5/12/15: Taking Action To Reduce Teen Pregnancy


Teen Pregnancy

Although U.S. teen pregnancy rates have been declining for several years, issues remain. While pregnancies early on in life can have serious health implications, they also have an impact on educational and economic outcomes. Therefore, we must work to find solutions aimed at overcoming these issues. This week follow our #SaludTues Tweetchat on Twitter to learn about ways to support teens and prevent teenage pregnancies. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Taking Action To Reduce Teen Pregnancy” DATE: Tuesday, May 12, 2015 TIME: Noon CST (1:00 PM ET) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: @MATeenPregnancy, @sexedhonestly Be sure to use the hashtag #SaludTues to follow the conversation on Twitter/X and share your stories and ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 5/5/15: How to Have a Healthy Cinco de Mayo


cinco de mayo

Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is the perfect time to celebrate traditions, music, and food. But too often that means leaving good nutrition behind. Let’s use #SaludTues on May 5, 2015, to tweet recipes, tips, and other resources that can make sure we eat healthy and stay active while we celebrate the best of Cinco de Mayo: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to Have a Healthy Cinco de Mayo” DATE: Tuesday, May 5, 2015 TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Evette Rios, bilingual lifestyle expert and host of Recipe Rehab (@evrios), the American Heart Association’s Vida Saludable program (@AHA_Vida), Chef Daisy Martinez (@LA_Daisy) We’ll open the floor to your stories and experiences as we ...

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Tell Taco Bell: Quit Pushing Sugary Drinks


Tell Taco Bell

One word can describe Taco Bell’s drink lineup: Sugary. Taco Bell recently added six new sugary drinks and became the first fast-food giant to offer Manzanita Sol, an apple-flavored soda most popular in Mexico, a nod to it menus. Manzanita Sol packs a whopping 56 grams of sugar in a 16-ounce drink, and four of the six new drinks contain more than 20 grams of sugar in the chain’s smallest available size. Tell Taco Bell to stop offering Manzanita Sol and other sugary drinks to customers! Kids don’t need more sugar-bombs disguised as thirst-quenchers, they already drink many sugary drinks, pushing up their risk for obesity and diabetes. Taco Bell continues to launch new unhealthy beverages, including new flavors of sugar-filled slushy drinks called Freezes. The company ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 4/14/15: Alcohol Awareness and Prevention


alcohol awareness

For Alcohol Awareness Month (April), let’s use #SaludTues on April 14, 2015, to tweet information, resources, and tips that can help reduce alcohol abuse: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Alcohol Awareness” DATE: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (@NCADDnational), Institute for Research, Education, and Training in Addiction (@IRETApgh) Be sure to use the hashtag #SaludTues to follow the conversation on Twitter/X and share your stories and resources. #SaludTues is a Tweetchat on Twitter/X that focuses on a variety of different health issues. From September 2014 to March 2021, #SaludTues occurred weekly at noon CST ...

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23,000+ People Tell Kellogg’s that Families Want Healthier Food Options!


Tell Kellogg's

More than 23,000 people across the nation recently wrote letters to urge the Kellogg Co. to stop marketing sugary foods to families on their Dias Grandiosos website. The letters, which highlighted how Kellogg’s targets Spanish-speaking moms with family-oriented messages for meals that are high in sugar and salt, were collected by Salud America!, an obesity research and communication network funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Salud America! leaders delivered the 23,000 letters to Kellogg’s this week. We will post their response here in coming days. Why is this effort so important? Food and beverage marketing influences kids’ diets and disproportionately focuses on unhealthy products, studies show. We believe families need healthy food options—rather ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 3/31/15: How to Bring Fitness Back to Schools & Why This Matters


kids running park green space play

What can be done to help more kids be active? One of the greatest ways to address inactivity in children is to reach kids is where they spend most of their time—at school. Research has shown that programs that offer physical activity, both during school and after school hours, not only help kids remain active and prevent obesity, but also help students perform better academically. On March 31, 2015, let's use #SaludTues to tweet about ideas, tips, stories and strategies to work toward a healthier school fitness environment: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to Bring Fitness Back to Schools & Why This Matters” DATE: Tuesday, March, 31, 2015 TIME: Noon CST (1:00 PM ET) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Institute of ...

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Watch the Award-Winning ‘Salud Heroes’ Video Series


Rick Carrillo

The Salud Heroes video series shows how real people have made healthy changes for kids across the country, to inspire others to make similar changes. Now the series can be called "award-winning." More than 40 awards have been given to the Salud Heroes video series and the Salud America! website. Salud America! is a childhood obesity research and communication network funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and led by Dr. Amelie Ramirez of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. The recognition is from the AVA Digital Awards, Communicator Awards, Telly Awards, Aurora Awards, Web Health Awards, HERMES Awards, Davey Awards, and W³ Awards. Just this week, Rick Carrillo, Salud America! TV producer/director, was named a finalist for the "Best in ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 3/24/15: Why You Should Keep an Eye on Vision Health


this Healthy Vision Month in May.

Many people struggle with their eye health. They have a high risk of glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and blindness. Let’s use #SaludTues on March 24, 2015, to tweet information and resources you need to help prevent, reduce their risk, or manage eye health problems: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: "Why You Should Keep an Eye on Vision Health" DATE: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: National Eye Health Education Program, Bascom Palmer Eye Center at the University of Miami (@BascomPalmerEye) Be sure to use the hashtag #SaludTues to follow the conversation on Twitter/X and share your stories and resources. #SaludTues is a Tweetchat on Twitter/X that focuses on a ...

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