Residents in Columbia, Missouri (3.4% Latino) can now alert Parks and Recreation staff to maintenance and other issues through an online tool. Park and trail users can report a problem, pin the location, and upload a photo to an interactive map here. They can also follow their report to track progress. Access to safe parks plays a huge role in overall health and wellness by promoting physical activity and improving mental health. Unfortunately, Latinos are disproportionately burdened by lack of access to healthy resources like safe places to walk, bike, and play. Technology can play a major role in identifying reducing social and environmental barriers, such as broken fences, poor lighting, litter, and crime. Ensuring that residents have the power to identify and ...
The first ever water park for people with special needs is under construction in San Antonio, TX (68% Latino) and should open in spring of 2017. Gordon Hartman, CEO of The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation, opened Mogran's Wonderland, an amusement park with special-needs individuals in mind in 2010. Since 2013, he has been working with water park consultants, local doctors, and special-needs therapists on Morgan's Island Inspiration, the soon-to-be water park with special-needs individuals in mind. In 2013, Hartman built Toyota Field-an attempt to bring MLS to San Antonio-as well as the South Texas Area Regional Soccer Complex for youth and adult club soccer. He announced plans for the new $9.9 million water park the day after he sold to the City of San Antonio and Bexar ...
The city of Austin, Texas (34.83% Latino population) recently introduced the candidates for the newly created position of Equity Officer for the city at a town hall event. The newly created position will head an office of two to three staff members focused on identifying disparities in current city programs and services. The office will also work with community groups to ensure equal access to these programs and services. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved. Residents of Austin petitioned the city to create the position due to the growing number of minorities leaving the city. The increased cost of living has been a key concern for minorities ...
The fight against the beverage industry for Boulder, Colo.'s sugary tax measure to be put on the ballot has been contested back and forth. Two protests from a city attorney circulated but local Judge, Norma Sierra, ruled that the petition was valid and Boulder City Clerk Lynette Beck also denied the protester's appeal. Now, the measure for the sugary beverage tax is officially on the measure on November's ballot. Healthy Boulder Kids campaign manager, Angelique Espinoza is a supporter of the tax and explained to local news that the closer they get to the tax the more they can ensure a way to increase healthy foods and activities for kids in Boulder. Boulder, Colo. is a community with a growing Latino population (13.9%). Latino kids are often targeted by beverage companies and ...
For the first time, a new study shows that standing desks in classrooms can slow the increase of a key obesity indicator by an average of 5 percentage points. The study, led by the Texas A&M School of Public Health, followed 193 third- and fourth graders in 24 elementary school classrooms, half with standing-oriented desks and half without, for two years in College Station, Texas, the Vital Record reports. Students who had standing-oriented desks for both years averaged a 3% drop in body mass index (BMI)—a key indicator of obesity. Those in traditional desks showed the 2% increase typically associated with getting older. Even more impressive, students who spent only one of two years with standing-oriented desks also had lower mean BMIs than traditionally seated ...
Education has long been considered key in attaining financial and professional success in life and it is also tied closely into maintaining physical and mental health. Latinos have long lagged behind other races and ethnicities in the United States in terms of educational attainment. In the past decade, that has changed dramatically. In a survey conducted recently to gauge issues of importance among Latinos for the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, over 80% cited education as being important. For many Latinos, economic barriers or obstacles still play a substantial part in furthering education. While the rate of Latino high school dropouts has declined and college enrollment has increased, Latinos still trail other groups in earning bachelor’s degrees. In a 2014 National Journal poll, ...
New research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Siani found that reducing foods that are commonly dry heat-cooked or heat processed foods may help reduce diabetes risks. Professor and MD, Helen Vlassara confirmed that high levels of advanced glycation endproducts or AGEs in these foods create a greater risk in the body for pre-diabetes characterized by insulin resistance and changes in the brain. Participants being studied who ate fewer foods that were grilled, fried or baked and instead cooked and consumed foods that were stewed, poached or steamed, had slightly decreased body weights and showed signs of improving insulin resistance. Dr. Vlassara explained this new approach to looking at the way foods are cooked may help protect certain pre-diabetes patients to prevent ...
A new pilot program is allowing a food bank to be a part of the Western New York Maritime Charter School (17% Latino), hoping to provide the over 80% of the students that rely on free school breakfast and lunches, a way to keep full even after school and focus on their studies. The $20,000 grant awarded from Dunkin' Donuts-Baskin Robbins Community Foundation, supports the new program, giving the Food Bank a way to provide for students and their families in a convenient way when families are short on time and funds. Many of the food options are packaged but offer nutritious proteins like cashew milk, canned tuna, and peanut butter. The Food Bank hopes to continue the pantry program to other schools and help provide food to families and students to ensure students are able to ...
Groups like Churches United for Healthy Congregations are working to promote health equity in their community. For ideas on how to unite local faith leaders and better coordinate services for health visit their page. Click here for more ...
