California’s rural communities face physical, geographic, social, and economic barriers to good health. High obesity rates in rural areas point to the need for healthier eating and drinking habits. CA4Health, in collaboration with ChangeLab Solutions, developed Reach for More: Healthier Beverage Vending for Government Agencies in Rural Settings to help communities assess their current procurement and vending contracts and policies. This guide outlines the context, steps, and relationships necessary for successfully implementing healthy vending in rural settings. While the guide is geared towards rural communities in California, any rural community in the U.S. could benefit from from information shared. Download the guide ...
Hospital systems across the country are taking an inward look at how they promote health among their patients, employees, and visitors. Many health systems have begun removing unhealthy snack foods and sugary drinks from their campuses, and a health system in Minnesota is joining the ranks. Aligning with The Commons Health Hospital Challenge, Lakewood Health System announced a new beverage policy which includes the phase-out of soft drinks, energy and sports drinks and other sugary beverage sales and distribution. According to a press release, the policy was initiated in spring 2014 with an effective implementation date of October 1st, 2014. Lakewood Health System’s new alternative beverage menu will include flavored and infused water, sugar-alternative soda, and low calorie ...
Obese Latinos struggle more than four times as much with binge eating disorder than the overall population, according to a post by The Bella Vita Eating Disorder Program. Why is binge eating a problem for Latinos? Dr. Patricia Pitts, founder and CEO of The Bella Vita, mentions three reasons: Acculturation (the adjustment to a new culture). "The negative effects of acculturation to American culture on diet and substance use are emerging in the research. Acculturation also carries health risks for both obesity, type two diabetes, and cardiovascular disease."
Income. "Low-income individuals must deal with barriers to affordable, quality fruits and vegetables, walking or exercising in unsafe neighborhoods, and finding the time to engage in healthy eating habits while struggling ...
Increasing opportunities for biking is one way to help Latino communities get healthy. The League of American Bicyclists recently came out with a new report titled: The New Movement: Bike Equity Today which addresses this topic. According to the report, diversity in biking already exists and continues to grow but there is still a need for involving more Latinos and underrepresented groups in bike advocacy. Examples from groups working towards equity, throughout the country illustrate that there is no magic formula for getting communities excited about biking. There are however, several ideas and lessons learned for turning the tide on how roads can be developed and opportunities for biking expanded. Ideas for initiatives such as earn-a-bike and apprentice programs throughout ...
Distinguished Steppers Unlimited, a dance group in Clarksville, Tennessee has partnered up with the local Parks and Recreation Department to bring a night of family fun and salsa dancing to local residents. The event which is scheduled to take place on Friday, October 24th from 6:00pm-10:00pm at the Kleeman Community Center, has been organized in efforts to reach the growing Latino community with culturally relevant opportunities for physical activity. Although the event targets Latinos, all are invited to experience the festivities which will include a live performance from a local Zumba dance troupe and a couples Latin dance demonstration. Additional activities will be provided for kids ages 6 to 15 and information about women’s breast health will be made available both in ...
Voices into Action: The Families, Food, and Health Project is a research and outreach project led by N.C. State University, N.C. A&T State University and North Carolina Cooperative Extension focused on improving food access and places to be active. At the beginning of October 2014, Voices into Action announced another round of grant funding for community projects that would help improve access to healthy and affordable food and places to be active in Harnett County. Grant awards will be between $100 and $2,000 for projects like starting a small community garden, providing nutrition education classes or improving local food pantries. Applications are due Friday October 31st by 5:00 P.M. Harnett County has a small but growing Latino population; over 5%. Learn more about ...
Back in 2012, New York City's Board of Health approved a ban on selling sugary drinks in containers larger than 16 ounces. The health board cited rising rates of obesity and diet-related issues in both kids and adults as the driving force behind the new limits. The state supreme court eventually struck down the ban, but NYC's new mayor, Mayor Bill de Blasio, has begun conversations with the board of health, city council, and the soda industry to start thinking about new ways to regulate large sugary drinks. "Mayor de Blasio has made clear that limiting portion size and reducing consumption of large sugary drinks is key to fighting obesity," said Phil Walzak, the mayor's spokesman, in a statement. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, all stakeholders are hoping ...
In Greensboro, North Carolina 33% of residents live in a USDA-declared "food desert", a low-income area that is more than a mile from a grocery store. For folks who live here, eating healthy is a daily struggle, with no fresh produce easily available. District 2 City Council member Jamal Fox represents folks who live in the food desert. He and the Renaissance Community Cooperative are working on a proposal to bring a grocery store into the neighborhood. Community meetings are on-going to figure out exactly how to bring healthier food into this community. Read more here. Update: The Renaissance Community Cooperative is set to open in 2015. Besides providing affordable fresh fruits and vegetables for residents in this food desert area, the co-op will provide ...
About 27% of US Hispanics reported high levels of depressive symptoms, according to a new study, Medical Express reports. The study, part of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), indicates that depression and anxiety rates differ widely among Hispanic groups. The highest rates of depressive symptoms were reported by Puerto Ricans (38%). The lowest rates were among Mexicans (22.3%). "Our study has found that mental health problems differ among the various groups comprising this population, suggesting that healthcare workers should look more closely at subgroups of Hispanics and Latinos to deliver appropriate mental health services," said lead author Dr. Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, co-principal investigator of HCHS/SOL at the Albert Einstein ...
