Students at Francis elementary in Houston, Texas were in great need of a place to play. Although the school had a small playground, they were restricted from using it due to the unsafe conditions of the outdated equipment. Now, thanks to a partnership between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) and KaBoom!, a non-profit group that helps communities in need build playgrounds, these kids will have a safe and inviting place to play! According to a CW39 news article this playscape is the 13th playground that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas has helped sponsor. In preparation for the playground building event, which was scheduled for Nov. 2013, students did their part to dream up their very own playground. For more information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas ...
Salud America! and Community Commons invite you to a #GrowingHealthyChange Tweetchat about how to grow healthy change, from better food to more physical activity to healthier marketing, for Latino kids at 1 p.m. central (2 p.m. eastern) Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014. Growing Healthy Change is a new website from Salud America! to empower healthy community changes—improved access to healthy food/physical activity, healthier marketing, etc.—for Latino kids locally and across the nation. At the site, people can: map their school, city, county, state, or nation to see what changes are growing for Latino kids; find resources to start a change; watch and read about real-life “Salud Heroes” of change; and become a “Salud Hero” by uploading their own stories. Follow the Tweetchat on ...
Representative Matt Lori (R) has proposed a new law which would bring more PE time to elementary and middle school students. In December of 2013, Rep. Lori wrote a bill which would require that all kids in grades K-5 receive at least 30 minutes of physical activity, 2 days a week. The bill would also require 60 minutes of additional physical activity within the school day for elementary school children. For middle school students in grades 6-8th, the law would require at least one semester of PE everyday for 45 minutes. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2012, Michigan had a population that was 4.6% Latino, but according to a news report, this number is expected to grow as more Latinos arrive in Michigan. For more information on how to improve PE in the state of Michigan, ...
Latinos comprise 16% of the U.S. population, but they account for 22% of all new HIV infections in the U.S. But Latinos often forgo HIV testing due to negative stigma, limited accessibility to testing, limited awareness of the risk of HIV/AIDS, and fear of having to disclose immigrant status. That's why it's important for Latinos to get tested for HIV, according to the Until There’s A Cure, a nonprofit founded in 1993 to create and sell a bracelet to raise funds to increase awareness, and to promote compassion, understanding, and responsibility about HIV/AIDS. Getting tested does not require disclosure of immigration status, according Until There’s A Cure, and can protect sexual partners from contracting the disease by using condoms, and those who are diagnosed with HIV can ...
Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska) have introduced the Safe Streets Act of 2014 to ensure that roads funded by federal dollars are created with all road users in mind. Communities all across the country are already finding that Complete Streets are an important way to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe and to promote more active lifestyles. Complete Streets can also enhance property values and help reduce traffic congestion. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over 47,000 pedestrians were killed in the last ten years. Part of the problem is that many of these individuals do not have safe options for travel. Between 2001-2010 death rates for men were highest among American Indian and Alaska Natives (7.73) followed by Hispanics ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2013 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by March 7, 2014, for the 2014 Èxito! program. Christina Carmona
San Antonio, Texas Born and raised in San Antonio, Christina Carmona has seen how Latinos here often don’t get access to the care they need, or they face cultural myths, financial barriers or a lack of knowledge of disease prevention. Carmona used this experience to fuel her drive to improve Latino health. Wanting to make a positive change in her community and serve as a role model for her children, Carmona earneda bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas San Antonio and is currently pursuing a master’s in public health degree at The University of Texas Health Science Center School ...
New Haven Mayor Toni Harp believes a state-raised tax on sugary drinks will help reduce obesity in Connecticut, where Latinos make up the largest minority group. She says a 2 percent tax on high-calorie sugary drinks would reduce sales of the beverage and generate about $144 million in revenue that could be used to combat obesity. Only the state can raise taxes, not cities, so the mayor will push for state legislators to consider the tax during this 2014 legislative session. Read more ...
Grocery store coupons are a great way to save money, but a new study found that the majority of coupons promote unhealthy foods and drinks. The study, published in February 2014 in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, looked at more than 1,000 online coupons offered by six major chain grocery stores in April 2013. Processed snack foods, such as chips, crackers and desserts, made up the largest slice of the coupon pie (25 percent). Meanwhile, 14 percent of coupons were for frozen dinners and other prepared meals; 12 percent were for beverages (half of which were for sugary juices and drinks); 11 percent were for cereals; 10 percent were for condiments, such as salad dressing and mayonnaise; and 8 percent plied customers with discounts on processed meats, such as hot dogs and ...
Shape Up San Francisco, a coalition of community leaders, wanted to know if kids in San Francisco were meeting state requirements for time spent in PE. They convened a group called the PE Advocates and began to study 20 elementary, four middle, and four high schools. After learning that almost 80% of elementary schools were not getting enough PE time, Shape Up SF’s PE Advocates partnered with school officials to develop a plan to change this. Now, thanks to the partnership, the district has 38 PE specialists to train teachers in the skills needed to provide students with quality PE.
EMERGENCE
Awareness: Local health advocates Christina Goette and Marianne Szeto were concerned about the city’s growing childhood obesity rates and health disparities. The number of overweight ...
