When a city works together to make healthy changes, incredible things can happen quickly!
In just 2 years, obesity rates in San Antonio and Bexar County dropped from 35.1% in 2010 to 28.5% in 2012 on the heels of new health and fitness initiatives across the city, said San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro and local health officials at a press conference July 31, 2013.
The city now has a lower rate of obesity than the current Texas average (29.3%). "We now have evidence that our investments are paying off and positively impacting the health of our families and the overall quality of life in San Antonio," Castro said. Overall, 70,000 of adults in Bexar County moved into a healthier weight category from 2010 to 2012. Obesity rates also decline among local racial/ethnic minority ...
The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic has published a toolkit intended to serve as a reference for food policy councils, food advocates, state policymakers, and non-profit entities.This toolkit is composed of nine sections that cover a range of potential topics that a state food policy council may wish to explore--- from food assistance programs to land use and ...
ChangeLab Solutions, a group that works with neighborhoods, cities, and states to transform communities with laws and policies that create lasting change, has created This Land is Our Land: A Primer on Public Land Ownership and Opportunities for Recreational Access to assist individuals and communities in understanding the complexity of public land ownership and some of the related legal and policy issues that may arise when partnering with public entities to create opportunities for physical recreation. Whether you want to transform a vacant lot into a community garden or create a sports field on state-owned land, this primer will show you how you can make your neighborhood a place where kids can ...
Check out these cool new videos that feature a group of Latina women from South Omaha, Neb., who dance to get healthy. The group says dance is a part of their culture and "the way we celebrate life, connect to each other, and move our bodies. For us, dance is a form of self-expression and a way of sharing happiness and sisterhood." You can watch the videos in English or Spanish. The videos are from the Saludable Omaha program. Learn more ...
Boys and young men of color are more likely to grow up in poverty, live in unsafe neighborhoods, and attend schools that lack the basic resources and supports that kids need in order to thrive. About 44% of Latino males and 46% of African American males do not have a high school diploma, and Latino youth are two times more likely and African-American youth are five times more likely to be involved with the juvenile justice system than their white counterparts. That's why the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is investing in successful models that can be strengthened and spread to help even more youths. RWJF recently announced grants of approximately $500,000 each to 10 organizations through Forward Promise, its $9.5 million initiative to improve the health and success of ...
Check out this cool new animated video on why its critical for Latino kids to get more active play time. The video, which is part of a new Salud America! “Active Spaces and Latino Kids” package of research, which also contains a research review, issue brief and infographic, can be found here. The research suggests that culturally relevant school- and community-based programs, better access to active play sites, and education for parents can help young Latinos become more physically ...
Latino kids have fewer opportunities to engage in physical activity than other kids. They are also less likely to meet federal recommendations of at least 60 minutes of activity a day, due to fewer parks and other active spaces, fewer school- or community-based physical activity programs during school or after, and parenting styles. But culturally relevant school- and community-based programs, better access to active play sites, and education for parents can help young Latinos become more physically active, according to a new package of research materials from Salud America! The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children. The new Salud America! “Active Play and Latino Kids” materials include a research review of the latest ...
Check out this cool infographic on why its critical for Latino kids to get more active play time. The infographic, which is part of a new Salud America! “Active Spaces and Latino Kids” package of research, which also contains a research review, issue brief and animated video, can be found ...
Texans Care for Children launched Drink Well Texas in 2012 to educate Texas children and their parents about the hazards of drinking too many sugary drinks. Drink Well Texas also strives to mobilize folks to take action against big soda companies and supports taxing sugar-sweetened beverages. Kids and their parents can get involved by pledging to drink less sugary drinks and by signing up for news and policy updates. Drink Well Texas also submitted a video to the Center for Science in Public Interest (CSPI)'s Pour One Out Contest, a contest to combat the advertising of sugary drinks by creating fun, innovative videos that outlined the risks of drinking too much ...
