A new report, The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, shows the rates of adult obesity among Latinos exceeded 35 percent in five states and 30 percent in 23 states. Top three states with highest adult obesity rates overall were reported as Arkansas, West Virginia and Mississippi. Highest rates of obesity were shown within the Midwest and South states, and show ethnic disparities in low-income Latinos and less-educated Americans. Many studies show Latino children live in areas where there is less access to healthy foods and less safe play areas. Latinos living in these areas need to be aware of obesity’s rising rates, as the report shows that more than one in ten children become obese as early as ages 2 to 5. Obesity rates of Latino children ages 2-19 ...
Alcohol consumption among Latinos is lower than in non-Hispanic whites, according to the National Institutes of Health. But, Latinos who drink are more likely to consume higher volumes of alcohol than non-Hispanic Whites. According to doctors taking a break from alcohol or giving up alcohol consumption completely can be tough, but the advantages to your health and pocket are worth the effort. Here’s what you can expect to happen long-term and short-term if you take a break from alcoholic beverages, according to Prevention: Risk for cancer falls: Drinking alcohol has been linked to an increase risk of liver, colon, mouth and rectum cancer. “The risk increases the more you drink.” More money in your pocket: A night at the bar can be detrimental for your health, but ...
Latino kids consume more sugary drinks than average, part of the reason they're more likely to be overweight/obese than their peers.
What can be done?
You're invited to join a webinar at 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, Sept. 30, to learn about new local and national efforts to improve Latino kids' access to healthy drinks.
The webinar, sponsored by the national Council of La Raza (NCLR) and including Salud America!, is bringing together a panel of experts to highlight successful efforts from across the country to improve beverage choices and healthy environments in schools and other community settings: Rosalie P. Aguilar, MS, Project Coordinator, Salud America!, Institute for Health Promotion Research UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (the team behind SaludToday)
David Thomsen, ...
100 gardens in New York Schools, future jobs and college opportunities for underserved students...these are all just "Si se puede! moments", states Stephen Ritz, a 4th grade teacher that is changing the Bronx from the inside out. In food insecure (37%) and highly Latino populated Bronx County (54.8% Latino), New Yorker and 4th grade teacher, Stephen Ritz became a game changer for healthy foods. Starting gardens in classrooms since 2005, Ritz has relied on free resources, his own passion for healthy changes, and a heart for underserved kids to birth the Green Bronx Machine. Producing over 30,000 pounds of healthy fresh produce a year, changing students futures, and re-designing cities with living green graffiti walls, Ritz's passion for kids and communities to have ...
The Albert Shanker Institute released a report on the state of teacher diversity in the United States. Nationally, progress towards greater diversity is being made, however there is still a large need for minority teachers. The report studied nine cities: Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. The report found there were some pockets of development, but overall there was a lack of progress. “Diversity is a key component to equality and opportunity,” said Randi Weingarten, Shanker Institute Board President. “Where there’s a diverse teaching workforce, all kids thrive. [We] are calling for a national summit on teacher diversity in urban areas.” One of the key findings of the report determined that, ...
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIAMS) has launched a new Spanish-language website that provides free health information on conditions of the bones, joints, muscles, and skin. “Many diseases in our scientific portfolio, including lupus, arthritis, and osteoporosis have profoundly negative effects among Latinos … in terms of prevalence and poor health outcomes,” said NIAMS Director Dr. Stephen Katz. “We are committed to providing quality health information to all people, no matter what language they speak or what culture they identify with.” The new site features easy-to-use navigation tools to help Spanish-speaking individuals identify and locate NIAMS health topics. Some of the features offered include improved access to NIAMS ...
The New Balance Foundation is sponsoring the Billion Mile Race challenge to get elementary school students to participate in school walking and running clubs to collectively reach one billion miles. The Billion Mile Race was created by ChildObesity180 and inspired by the 100 Mile Club. 1,300 schools have already joined this multi-year effort and begun tracking their progress through the online portal, which is provided for free in addition to support materials and resources for schools. The overall goal is to get kids moving by making walking part of every day life. In order to do that, the New Balance Foundation and ChildObesity180 want to create environments and schools that make healthy choices the default. Unfortunately, healthy environments and schools are not the ...
A new infographic by Fast Food Menu Price, shows what happens inside your body after eating McDonald's most iconic burger? After 30 minutes of eating the 540 calories burger, the 940 milligrams of sodium begins to attack your body and dehydrates you. The symptoms of dehydration trick your body into thinking you're still hungry. After 40 minutes, you're still craving for more. 60 minutes later, begins a very slow digestion that can take up to 3 days. Are you still lovin' it? See the infographic for full ...
SaludToday Guest Blogger
Jefferson Dental Clinics Cavities. Untreated, worsening tooth decay. Gums that pull away from teeth and form gaps, allowing infections and plaque to spread. This isn’t a horror story—it’s the reality of dental health in the Latino community. Latinos suffer high rates of tooth decay, and have high rates of periodontal disease (gums pulling away from teeth). Latino men are the least likely of all groups to seek dental care, and three-times as many older Latinos than whites will not receive treatment for tooth decay. Poor oral health leads to heart disease, stroke and diabetes, which disproportionately impact Latinos. “The Latino community must take an active approach in monitoring and caring for their dental health, or prepare to face ...
