During Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Nov. 2, Latino families gather to remember relatives who have died and often honor their memory by preparing the relative’s favorite foods. This is an opportunity to celebrate and incorporate traditional, healthy Mexican eating patterns into American diets. Studies show that, as U.S. Latinos become more “Americanized,” eating patterns shift to include more fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages and less fruit. Coupled with less active lifestyles, these new eating patterns can lead to weight gain, obesity and diabetes in adults and children. “Día de los Muertos is an opportunity for families to celebrate their culture and improve their health with more traditional eating patterns,” said Monica Montes, registered dietitian ...
Presidential advisors, lawmakers and the largest breast cancer research group in the country are all simultaneously broadening their agendas to include prevention, and the link between environment and cancer is going mainstream, the Valley Advocate reports. The report cites a new collaboration between Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's largest breast cancer group, and the Institute of Medicine, a health policy group, on environmental toxins and breast cancer:
"The public is invited to observe our upcoming meeting, which will include presentations from leading breast cancer researchers and organizations," said Dr. Amelie Ramirez [of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio at the start of a Komen-IOM meeting held July 6-8 in San ...
Childhood obesity is one of the biggest health problems in the nation, especially among Latinos. About 20% of Latino children between ages 12-19 are obese, compared to 18% of all American children. "You can say it's the main problem facing our community," said Dr. Felipe Lobelo, who specializes in nutrition, physical activity, and obesity at the CDC. "Unfortunately, we (Hispanics) are among the groups with the highest rates of obesity in both adults and children, and we have to do something about it." Dr. Lobelo offered these tips to help parents get started on preventing obesity: 1) Eat more fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables is essential to fighting childhood obesity. Parents and guardians can add fruits to their kids' diet by chopping them up and ...
The new "Muévete Hoy!" exercise video infuses Latin dance moves and a catchy beat to motivate Latinos of all ages to get more physically active. We created the English and Spanish exercise video to get participants up and moving at a recent conference. Now we're asking you to stand up, get ready and "Muévete Hoy!" E-mail us to request a DVD copy. Watch below or on YouTube in English: Watch below or on YouTube in Spanish: The video was produced by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday. Learn more about us at ...
The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and UT San Antonio are teaming up to launch the San Antonio Life Sciences Institute (SALSI) Distinguished Health Disparities Lecture Series, which will periodically bring some of the top U.S. health disparities experts to San Antonio to offer the latest trends, tools and advancements in the fight against cancer health disparities among the underserved. The series starts Oct. 20 and runs until August 2011. The series will feature speakers who can enhance the knowledge and abilities of local doctors and researchers, who then can apply learned techniques and strategies in their labs, clinics and communities. South Texas residents, particularly Hispanics/Latinos, experience many health disparities—the disproportionately higher incidence and ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, recently discussed challenges and solutions to Latino childhood obesity as a guest on “Conversations on Health Care,” a weekly radio show airing in Connecticut, Minnesota and Michigan made possible by the Connecticut-based Community Health Center, Inc. The show features experts in health care innovation and reform. Dr. Ramirez talks about the Latino childhood obesity epidemic and her Salud America! program’s efforts to reduce the epidemic. Dr. Ramirez has spent 30 years directing many research programs focused on human and organizational communication to reduce chronic disease and cancer health disparities affecting Latinos. Listen to the ...
The American Heart Association’s bilingual heart-health movement for Latinas, Go Red Por Tu Corazón, will be returning to the 11th Annual Latin GRAMMY® Awards on Nov. 11, 2010, to bring the issue of heart disease – the No. 1 killer of Hispanic women – to center stage. “Too many Hispanic women are still unaware that heart disease is their No. 1 killer. In fact, only one in three are aware of the threat to themselves and their family,” said Dr. Luz Marina Prieto, assistant professor of clinical medicine for the division of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism for the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami. “Go Red Por Tu Corazón provides Hispanic women and their families the tools and resources needed to enjoy good heart health." Univision personality ...
Reaching into the community to raise cancer awareness is a big priority of the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday.
That's why IHPR researcher Sandra San Miguel and promotora Guadalupe Cornejo worked hard to bring vital health information to more than 350 Latinos on Oct. 1 at the Consulate General of Mexico in San Antonio during Binational Health Week, a series of free health events across the nation to improve Latino health. The pair, representing the IHPR and the Lance Armstrong Foundation's LIVESTRONG campaign, passed out 100 brochres for the LIVESTRONG Survivorcare program, several “What’s Next” booklets and hundreds of yellow LIVESTRONG wristbands. Overall, San Miguel and Cornejo had ...
Laura Esparza, a researcher at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, already works with community groups to identify innovative ways to help Latina girls in San Antonio get physically active. Now she's taking on an expanded role as a community advocate for minority child health. Esparza has joined the Shared Use Coalition for the city’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities initiative, which aims to plan and implement strategies to increase opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy food in San Antonio’s Westside community. The coalition is trying to develop shared use agreements that allow schools, churches and city facilities to be used after hours for exercise and play. Esparza also is a member of ...
