Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut introduced a national soda tax bill on July 30, 2014. The bill would amend the I.R.S. code and charge a penny per teaspoon of sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or other caloric sweeteners — “to be paid by the manufacturer, producer or importer of such products.” The law would not include drinks like milk and 100 percent fruit juices. DeLauro believes the tax would help curb sugary drink consumption, a source of excess sugar and calories in many Americans' diets, leading to various chronic disease issues like obesity and diabetes. According to a Chicago Tribune article, DeLauro knows the chances of the bill passing are slim, but she wants to bring the debate to Washington, perhaps bolstering local efforts to curb sugary drink ...
A growing number of U.S. teens—especially Hispanic teens—are using synthetic human growth hormone (hGH) to boost their muscles and athletic ability, according to a new survey from the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, HealthDay News reports. Overall, 11% of teens admitted using hGH in 2013, up from 5% in 2012. About 13% of Hispanic teens and 15% of black teens said they used hGH at least once, compared to just 9% of white teens. People hoping to boost their athletic abilities or enhance their appearance have abused synthetic hGH and other performance-enhancing substances in the past, which poses serious health risks, the study authors warned, according to the HealthDay report:
The body produces human growth hormone naturally, and experts have long known that the hormone is ...
In the city of Waco, TX, where almost half the population is Latino, healthy food access is a real problem. Elizabeth Ross is a member of the Heart of Texas Urban Gardening Coalition and she hopes that getting kids excited about agriculture and bringing more gardens into the city will help eliminate areas with low food access. She's responsible for Farm Camp, a new summer camp for kids just outside Waco that is teaching kids how to live sustainability. “The reason why it started was to address the issue of food deserts in the community,"
Ross said in a radio interview. "There are so many areas, especially with a couple of grocery stores that have closed, leaving places without healthy food access.” Besides the educational camp, she hopes that urban gardening can be ...
PolicyLink, The Food Trust, and The Reinvestment Fund launched the Healthy Food Access Portal in 2013 to be a resource to the movement to improve access to affordable, healthy foods in underserved communities. Based on user feedback, they've recently redesigned the website to better serve the needs of food advocates, researchers, and other stakeholders. On the newly redesigned website you can: Use a new searchable map to find policy efforts and resources in your state
Find available funding opportunities in our updated database
Learn from your peers via new profiles, webinars, and stories
Check out new videos of healthy food leaders from around the countryCheck out the Healthy Food Access ...
Kids from neighborhoods all across the city of Chicago can look forward to staying active and having safe places to play this summer, thanks to the Playstreets 2014 initiative, launched by the city on June 20th of 2014. The idea for PlayStreets, an open streets event that temporarily closes streets to traffic and turns them into a playground, was first discussed in 2011, as part of the city's Healthy Chicago plan, a plan that seeks to improve the health of the community and reverse the obesity epidemic. In 2013, 50 Playstreets events took place. This year, at least 140 different Playstreet events in over 26 neighborhoods are planned from June through October of 2014. The growth and success of these events would not have been possible without the collaboration and commitment ...
The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will discuss urban food access issues at its upcoming meeting on August 5th, 2014 in Southern California. Meetings like these are happening across the country, bringing together neighbors business leaders, and decision-makers to brainstorm how to get fresh food into underserved areas. "In visiting Compton, the board will hear about some of the great efforts underway to improve food access in intercity communities," said Craig McNamara, president of the CA State Board of Food and Agriculture. In California, almost two million individuals live in a USDA-designated food desert, according to an article in the Imperial Valley News. Read more about the ...
Did you know Latinos suffer more from certain diseases? For example, Latinos are 45% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer, 65% more likely to be diabetic, and six times as likely to have tuberculosis than Whites. These health disparities are captured in a new infographic. The infographic, from Families USA, which works to heighten health care for all Americans, urges people to "work together to improve our health care system to make it high-quality, comprehensive, affordable, and accessible for ...
The Hip Hop Public Health (HHPH) Campaign has put out a new mobile app aimed at reaching youth with healthy messages. The app, available for free download on iTunes, invites youth to become HHPH Ambassadors and provides access to music, comic books, videos, and toolkits to promote physical activity and better nutrition in their community. In addition to accessing these resources, the app allows its users to track their progress and awards point to ambassadors who share the healthy message with their schools, local organizations, and greater community. Ambassadors can log in their experiences, track how many students they've reached, provide comment on their experience, and upload relevant pictures and videos. According to the iTunes description of the app, they can also share ...
The New York State Council on Food Policy is touring across the state, holding listening sessions so local community organizations, food advocates, and anyone interested can come listen and engage in conversations about healthy food access in New York. Most recently, the council was in Buffalo. The meeting, titled Farm, Food and Policy: Getting It Right in New York State, aimed to address issues associated with food access and availability. The panel was comprised of members appointed by the governor and is responsible for advising state leaders on the value of safe, fresh, nutritious and affordable food for New Yorkers. The group works with various organizations that provide food, including pantries, schools, hospitals and senior living communities. The council also updated ...
