How Antibiotic Exposure May Impact Latino Childhood Obesity



Researchers from the University of California San Francisco recently found the risk of early rapid weight gain and obesity at age 2 years among infants that were exposed to antibiotics in the first 6 months of life. The researchers evaluated the type and frequency of antibiotic exposure at 6 months and 1 year of life and their descriptions of infant dietary intake. The cohort of women studied was 97% Latina and was recruited at prenatal clinics in 2012 and 2014. Recent studies suggest that there are harmful effects of antibiotics on the healthy gut in this developmental period before 12 months of age and can increase obesity risk, reported Childhood Obesity. Results indicated that antibiotics exposure, most commonly amoxicillin was greater among obese 2-year-olds (40%) compared ...

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WINNERS: The Surani Sisters and the Quest to Conquer Obesity


surani sisters corpus salud heroes

Corpus Christi, Texas, had been called the fattest city in the nation. Zoya, Sara, and Saherish Surani wanted to do something about it. So the three sisters, with the help of their parents and others, created the iConquer program to get older students to teach younger students how to move more, eat right, and develop healthy habits to reduce obesity in Corpus Christi public schools. Now the Surani sisters won the Salud America! #SaludHeroes video contest! Watch their winning video or read the story how the sisters worked hard to develop, garner support for, fund, and sustain the iConquer program that brings a team of high school students to visit local elementary schools for about an hour once a week for four weeks to present a creative music video, animated videos, dance ...

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New List Cites the Healthiest & Unhealthiest Cities in the U.S.



For many Americans, where they live often dictates how healthy they are. For Latinos, where they live often creates inequities and disparities; residential segregation often leads to a lack of access to care, lack of educational attainment, and financial inequity. The financial site WalletHub examined the notion of healthy cities recently. Cities across the country promote overall health and wellbeing through numerous initiatives ranging from access to nutritious food to creating recreation and fitness facilities to preserving and promoting green spaces or keeping healthcare costs affordable. Still, many cities are unable to or have not yet made such large-scale changes as these. Without these areas being prioritized, good health can be difficult to maintain, especially for ...

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Some Latinos See Volunteer Health Workers as ‘Unwanted Salespeople’


promotora patient navigator

For many years, health programs have used volunteer community health workers called promotoras to deliver culturally sensitive health and wellness information to Latinos. But some Latinos may misunderstand what a promotora is all about. In fact, Mexican-born rural Latinas in rural Illinois communities were biased against promotoras because they perceived them as more like "unwanted salespeople" or "promoters" engaged in for-profit enterprises than legitimate volunteer health liaisons, according to a new study, columnist Esther J. Cepeda reports. The study, led by researchers including former Salud America! grantee Dr. Angela Wiley at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, found that Latinas' negative perceptions of promotoras kept them from engaging in the researchers' ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 2/21: Heart and Soul Food for Latinos


latina heart girl

Latinos have a good news/bad news "heart" relationship. Bad: Latinos face higher risks of heart disease than others. Good: Lifestyle changes—like eating the right foods—can reduce risk. Bad: Latinos face cultural, linguistic, and other barriers to making those changes. Good: Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, to tweet in English and Spanish about the latest ways to use food, nutrition, and other strategies to help Latinos adopt healthier heart habits for American Heart Month in February: WHAT: #SaludTues Bilingual Tweetchat: “Heart and Soul Food for Latinos” TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludToday CO-HOSTS: Texas A&M Health Science Center (@TAMHSC), ...

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27,054 Say: Mark the Way to Fruits & Veggies!


food at grocery store latino kids

Families want healthy food choices where they shop. In fact, more than 27,000 people signed our Salud America! letter campaign to ask grocery stores to use labels, floor arrows, and other marketing strategies to promote fruit and veggie options for Latino families. “As a shopper, I know the marketing ploys used by groceries to entice me,” Myrna Mendez, resident of Bloomfield, Mich., wrote in her letter to grocers. “All we're asking for is to use those same marketing skills to promote fruits and vegetables for a healthier nation." We’ve delivered all 27,000 letters to the leadership of these grocery store associations: Alabama Grocers Association Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants Association Arizona Food Marketing Alliance California Grocers Association ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 2/7: Our Heart Loves Physical Activity


latina girls jump play

Physical activity = positive heart health. Physical inactivity = negative heart health. These things are scientifically true, regardless of your weight status. So, to reduce heart disease among Latinos, we need to redefine the role of physical activity for lifelong health. Let's use #SaludTues on Feb. 7, 2017, to tweet about how daily physical activity—walking, dancing, biking, gardening, swimming, doing yoga—can benefit our hearts: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Our Heart Loves Physical Activity” TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludToday CO-HOSTS: @AHA_Vida (Vida Saludable); @Voices4HK (Voices for Healthy Kids); and @americawalks (America Walks) OPTIONAL HASHTAGS: ...

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Vote: Best ‘Salud Heroes’ of Community Health


salud america salud heroes video voting contest

Latinos face cultural and other barriers to healthy lifestyles. That’s why they suffer high rates of diabetes, obesity, certain cancers, and mental health issues. Community advocates are here to help! WATCH and VOTE for six new Salud America! #SaludHeroes of Community Health who work with Latino families and kids to push healthcare, stress relief, physical activity, water, and more. For voting, we’ll enter you into a drawing for a FREE T-shirt and jump rope! Gaby Medina: Water Promotora. Gaby pushes water over sugary drinks to Spanish-speaking Latino families, as part of a Colorado campaign. Baby Café: Breastfeeding Help. Diana Montano and others started a Baby Café with peer counselors to support breastfeeding moms in San Antonio. Felipe Pinzon: Aid for ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 1/31: How to Impact Wellness at Your Kids’ School


fit drums latino middle school california

How can you help your child succeed in 2017? Work to ensure that schools have healthy school policies in place! Parents and parent groups can make a difference by working with school administrators to create chages—from school nutrition to physical activity breaks throughout the day—to ensure that kids have the chance thrive physically, emotionally, and academically. Kids in schools with strong wellness policies are less likely to consume junk food and more likely to be physically active, research shows. They also tend to do better in school! Unfortunately, many Latino schools don't enforce such policies. Let's use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, to join parents, educators and local leaders across the nation in tweeting solutions to boost school wellness policies ...

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