South Has Some of the Highest Rates of Obesity, Diabetes



  Wide sections of the Southeast, Appalachia, and some tribal lands in the West and Northern Plains have the nation’s highest rates of obesity and diabetes, according to new CDC estimates. In many counties in those regions, rates of diagnosed diabetes exceed 10 percent and obesity exceeds 30 percent. The estimates, in this week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, are the first to provide county-level snapshots of obesity across the U.S. To view county-level estimates of obesity and diabetes visit Diabetes Data and Trends. Obesity is one of several factors linked to type 2 diabetes. Where people live, how much money they earn, their culture and their family history also play a role. An unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and socioeconomic factors ...

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Join the Effort to Reduce Latino Child Obesity



U.S. obesity rates have risen at an alarming rate among all children, but Latino youths have some of the highest overweight and obesity rates and are part of the nation's largest, youngest, and fastest-growing minority group. Yet there is little research on Latino children, making it difficult to address their specific issues. Enter Salud America! Salud America! The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children aims to unite and increase the number of Latino researchers and advicates seeking environmental and policy solutions to address Latino childhood obesity. Salud America! is led by the team behind SaludToday. Join Salud America! and receive news about the latest research, events, funding opportunities and ...

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Story: Rodriguez Quits Smoking for Her Family



Rosalie Rodriguez (pictured at left) has been a smoker for the past 14 years – pretty much all of her adult life. Now she’s ready to change that, and she’s set a date to quit. What made her quit? Rosalie considered quitting for the sake of her own health after her father, a smoker for 38 years, developed bladder cancer as a result of smoking. “I had never even heard of cancer of the bladder being caused by smoking,” said Rosalie. “But then I thought, you know what? I need to stop because (smoking can lead to) lung cancer and heart disease – all that and more.” She has another big reason for quitting – her 14-year-old son. “I’m doing it for health reasons because I want to be there as long as I can to see my son and his kids and to have a longer life," she ...

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‘State of Latino Arizona’ Lists Health Issues



“The State of Latino Arizona” report highlights challenges and issues faced by the Latino community in areas such as economics, education, health, politics and the arts, and it suggests policy implications for the future. The report was led by the Arizona Latino Research Enterprise and Arizona State University (ASU). More than a dozen ASU faculty, staff and student researchers, as well as writers and researchers from the community, worked on the report over the course of the past year. Key findings are: The Arizona Latino population is young and mostly of Mexican origin. Latino students struggle to achieve academic success relative to their Anglo and Asian peers, regardless of grade, subject matter or income level. Latinos attained only 13 percent of bachelor’s ...

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Latinos, Here’s Help to Quit Smoking



Need inspiration or help finding the way to quit smoking? There is good news: The Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR), the team behind SaludToday, has developed ¡Buena Vida! A Guide to Help You Quit Smoking. The booklet offers info, tools and tips for quitting smoking, and tells the stories of five Latinos who have quit, like Estefanía Villareal (pictured at left). Read the booklet in English. Read the booklet in Spanish. Find out more about the IHPR's materials to help Latinos quit ...

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Want To Do Something About Latino Cancer?



Interested in getting involved in the effort to reduce Latino cancer? Go here and click the logo to join Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network. Redes, a National Cancer Institute-funded initiative to combat cancer among Latinos, has built a nationwide network of community-based organizations, research institutions, government health agencies and the public. Redes activities include promoting training and research opportunities for Latino students and researchers, generating research projects, and supporting cancer awareness activities within the Latino community. Redes is led by the team that runs SaludToday. Joining the Redes network allow you to receive the latest news, stories and events on the work being done to fight Latino cancer. Join ...

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News: Latino Childhood Obesity



Do Latino children perceive their weight accurately? How is a Latino sixth-grader (at left) spreading the word about health? What did a surgeon general and ex-NBA player say about Latino childhood obesity at our recent scientific summit? Find answers in the Salud America! Fall 2009 E-Newsletter. Salud America! The RWJF Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The network is directed by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, which developed SaludToday. To sign up to receive Salud America! E-newsletters, go ...

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Got an Idea to Help Latinos Get Healthier?



Do you have an idea to help make Latinos healthier? Post a comment on this blog and offer your feedback on the proposed health priorities for Healthy People 2020, a federal report to boost quality of life and reduce health ...

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Study: Upping Fiber Intake Could Trim Latino Youths’ Belly Fat



Eating a little more fiber could help trim waistlines of Latino youths, a new study shows, Reuters reports. Latinos ages 11 to 17 who increased their fiber intake over a two-year period had significant decreases in the amount of fat around their waists, while those whose fiber intake fell saw their bellies expand, according to the news report about the study by the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Researchers surveyed boys and girls on their diets at baseline and two years later. Belly fat increased 21 percent for the study participants who were eating less fiber. The youths who increased their fiber intake had a 4 percent reduction in belly fat. Study findings are published in the November issue of the American Journal of ...

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