More than 10 million Americans, including higher rates of Latinos, excessively drink alcohol to the point it negatively impacts their lives. Now, new research links alcohol abuse to a big cause of death: heart disease. Abusing alcohol increases the likelihood of suffering atrial fibrillation, heart attack or congestive heart failure, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, CNN reports. “One of the most surprising findings... is that people who abused alcohol are at increased risk for heart attack or myocardial infarction,” said Dr. Gregory M. Marcus, director of clinical research in the Division of Cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco and senior author of the study. “Past data suggests that moderate drinking ...
Infant nutrition experts Norma Sifuentes and Diana Montano have promoted breastfeeding for 30 years combined in San Antonio, Texas (63.2% Latino). The two women, employees of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District’s Women, Infants and Children (SAMHD-WIC) department, know that breastfeeding duration rates are low here. Less breastfeeding means more risk of obesity, diabetes, and lower IQs. So Sifuentes and Montano worked together to create a place—a haven—to help low-income Latina and all mothers access breastfeeding support and peer counseling.
Why isn't breastfeeding more prominent?
The benefits of breastfeeding are numerous. For babies, it reduces risk of infectious diseases, asthma, atopic dermatitis, childhood leukemia, diabetes, obesity and sudden infant ...
Metro areas are more dangerous for pedestrians, especially Latinos and other minorities, than in previous years, according to a new study. The study, Dangerous By Design 2016 by Smart Growth America, found that pedestrians of color, older adults, and low-income metro areas are more likely to die. Pedestrian safety is worsening in largely Latino metro areas like Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Jose and Riverside, Calif., due to issues of policy, design, enforcement, and culture. Latinos, who comprise 16.9% of the U.S. population, account for 21.5% of pedestrian deaths overall. There's more reason for concern, too. Unsafe streets are a major hurdle for people trying to be physically active, stay healthy, or get to school or work. This situation collides (pun ...
In November 2015, the Unicode Consortium approved 51 new emoji's, and breastfeeding is one, according to Forbes. Based on requests and popular demand, the Unicode Consortium decides which emojis will be available for mobile devices, laptops, desktops and wearables. Interventions or policies aimed at improving breastfeeding rates among Latina mothers may be critical to promoting physical and mental health; however, Latina moms often face social, political, environmental, and cultural barriers to reach their own breastfeeding goals. In order to build a culture of health it is critical to support breastfeeding and empower women to live healthier lives. The emoji should be available in 2017. Spread the ...
The Praxis Project, an California advocacy group led by Latino advocate Xavier Morales, filed a legal complaint against Coca-Cola and the American Beverage Association for deceptive marketing practices that push sugary drinks to communities of color. The legal complaint indicates "the world’s largest soft-drink maker and the trade association run ads that tout the energy boost from drinking soda, and disregard scientific findings that sugary beverages can lead to obesity, diabetes and heart problems," according to a CBS News report. The complaint was filed in federal court in California. Both Coca-Cola and the American Beverage Association called the lawsuit as unfounded, and said they are working to lower the public’s sugar consumption, CBS News reports. The Praxis ...
After Nikki Van Strien delivered her first son in Mesa, Ariz. (30.5% Latino), she realized the discharge package given to all new moms by the hospital could undermine a woman’s breastfeeding goals by pushing formula. She wanted to do something to support breastfeeding moms immediately after delivery. In 2011, Van Strien and some other moms developed the AZ Breastfeeding Bag Project to provide all new breastfeeding mothers with a bag filled with educational material and breastfeeding supply samples. They became a non-profit and recruited volunteers and donations to reach new mothers birthing in the hospital, birth center, or home.
Breastfeeding Rates Low in Arizona
Nikki Van Strien, a new mom in Mesa, Ariz., wanted to connect with other moms for support. She joined a local group she ...
La dieta tradicional japonesa y la mediterránea son consideradas a menudo como las más sanas del mundo, con vínculos probados al aumento de la esperanza de vida y la reducción del riesgo de enfermedades. Ambas dietas no podrían ser más diferentes en cuanto a sus ingredientes, preparación y sabor, pero ambas comparten los mismos nutrientes que pueden ayurdarnos a vivir una vida más larga y sana. Esta infografía de Medigo explora los nutrientes que hacen tan potentes a estas dietas, los platos en los que puedes encontrarlos y los pasos que puedes seguir para llevar una dieta más sana. Vea aquí la infografía ...
The average Latino infant has 3.8 hours of TV exposure a day, and TV and other media usage remains high as Latino kids get older. Sugary drink marketers are taking full advantage. Latino preschoolers saw 23% more #SugaryDrink ads on Spanish TV in 2013 than in years prior, according to new Sugary Drinks and Latino Kids research from Salud America!, an obesity prevention network under Dr. Amelie Ramirez at UT Health San Antonio. Ads for sugary beverages were more commonly found on Spanish-language than English-language TV. Ad spending on sugary drinks on Spanish-language TV rose 44% from 2010 to 2013, a study found.
How can this change?
The Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) is a voluntary self-regulation program for food and drink companies to create ...
What would happen if the price of sugary drinks went up? Two models have estimated that a 10% increase in soft drink prices would lead to a reduction in soft drink consumption of between 7.9% and 12.1%, which could ultimately improve people's health. These data are part of the new Sugary Drinks and Latino Kids research from Salud America!, an obesity prevention network at UT Health San Antonio.
Can a sugary drink tax really benefit?
Sugary drink taxes (e.g., per ounce or gram of added sugar) have been proposed in several states, and a federal tax was introduced in 2014. None have passed so far. But in November 2014, Berkeley, Calif. (10.8% Latino) became the first U.S. jurisdiction to pass a tax on sugary drinks. Revenue from this penny-per-ounce excise tax, estimated at ...
