‘Tu Corazon’ Summit to Examine Heart Disease’s Influence in Latinos



Registration is now open for American Heart Association’s “Tu Corazon Latino” Summit on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, at the Time Warner Center in New York. Hosted by CBS2 News Medical Correspondent Dr. Max Gomez, this event will take an in-depth look at how cardiovascular disease impacts the Latino population, across generations. Beginning with a focus on youth, the event will examine the trajectory from disease prevention to management with a targeted review of issues affecting the senior population. The Summit attracts community leaders and issue experts from the Latino community throughout the metropolitan region. Go here to register for this free ...

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Heart Disease Risk Higher among ‘Acculturated’ Latinos; Risk Factors Vary by Latino Background



Heart disease risk factors are widespread among U.S. Latino adults, with 80% of men and 71% of women having at least one risk factor for heart disease, according to a San Diego State University (SDSU) study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These percentages are much higher than the general population, where 49% of adults have at least one major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Prevalence of risk factors varies across Hispanic/Latino background groups, with some groups, particularly those with Puerto Rican background, experiencing high rates of heart disease risk factors compared to other groups, according to findings from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), which will be published in today's Journal of the American Medical ...

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Study: Soda Tax Would Boost Health of Latinos, Blacks



A tax on soda would carry the greatest health benefits for black and Latino Californians, who face the highest risks of diabetes and heart disease, according to recent research findings, California Watch reports. According to the news report: The study found that if a penny-per-ounce tax was applied to soda, cuts in consumption would result in an 8 percent decline in diabetes cases among blacks and Latinos. The statewide reduction in new diabetes cases is projected at 3 to 5.6 percent, according to researchers from UC San Francisco, Columbia University and Oregon State University, who released their findings at a recent American Public Health Association annual meeting. The study was unveiled as a sugar-sweetened beverage tax faces votes in El Monte, in Los Angeles County, and ...

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Study: Hispanic Parents Don’t See Food Companies’ Impact on Their Kids’ Eating Habits as Bad



Parents are concerned about food marketing and the way it impacts their children’s eating habits and would support policies to limit the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children, according to a new report from Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity. Black and Hispanic parents reported believing that their children saw more food advertising and were more affected by that advertising compared with white parents, the report found. They also perceived more obstacles to ensuring healthy eating habits for their children, and were more supportive of most policies to promote healthy eating habits and limit food marketing. Black and Hispanic parents, however, did not view the influence of food companies on their children’s eating habits more negatively, the ...

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New Guide: How to Talk to Your Kids about Weight, Health



Latino parents, how do you start a conversation on health and healthy weight with your children? A new parent conversation guide, “Weigh In: Talking to Your Children About Weight and Health,” is an online resource created to fill the information gap and offer practical advice for parents to responsibly and compassionately respond to real-world scenarios, such as: Understanding body mass index (BMI) Body image Bullying Weight bias Family obesity Download the guide, a collaboration between the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity ...

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Infographic: Great Grains



Here's an interesting infographic on four types of healthy grains, from Vegan ...

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Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think



Americans eat more than we think. Why? Check out this new video in which Dr. Brian Wansink of Cornell University discusses his research on "mindless eating." Small changes in our physical environment can greatly affect our food eating behavior and totally change our eating habits, according to Dr. ...

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Two Futures for America’s Health



Editor’s Note: This post is part of an ongoing series that will highlight work of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in Latino communities. SaludToday Guest Blogger: Risa Lavizzo-Mourey President and CEO, RWJF RWJF and the Trust for America’s Health recently released our annual report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future. Obesity rates in the United States remain unacceptably high, and the epidemic persists in affecting Blacks and Hispanics disproportionately. For the first time, this year’s report examined how the obesity epidemic could impact our future 20 years from now. Ironically, this forecast has made me reflect on the past. Thirty years ago, I lived in Philadelphia and was an instructor at Temple University. After a long day ...

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Who is Èxito!: Diana Flores



Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Diana Flores San Mateo, Calif. Some of Diana Flores’ extended family members didn’t want her to go to college. They thought she should stick to a traditional Latina role—wife and mother—instead of “wasting” money and time on education. But Flores’ mother and father encouraged her to pursue the educational career path she was passionate about. With their support, she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in public health (environmental health sciences and global health) from the University of California, Los Angeles ...

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