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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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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SaludToday at APHA: Latino Childhood Obesity



Here is a quick summary of the Latino-related program presented by Dr. Amelie Ramirez (pictured), a SaludToday and Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) investigator, at this week's APHA meeting in Philadelphia: Latino children, who belong to the largest, youngest and fastest-growing U.S. minority group, have one of the highest rates of obesity. Recent data shows that 38 percent of Mexican-American children are obese or overweight, compared with 30.7 percent of non-Hispanic whites and 34.9 percent of African-American children. Unfortunately, there is insufficient data available for other Latino subgroups. Dr. Ramirez talked about how, in response to this issue, she developed Salud America! The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among ...

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New Version of Video: ‘Did You Know’ Truth about Latino Child Obesity?



Due to overwhelming response, we've added a faster-loading "Did You Know?" video to more quickly tell the story of the burden of obesity suffered by Latino children. We hope it helps motivate change even more quickly, too! Please comment on the video and let us know your thoughts. We're considering making a Spanish version, too. Here is the faster-loading version: And here is the higher-quality, but slower-loading ...

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Story: Latino Mom Found Help in Community



Emilia, a Latina mother of four children, struggled with her oldest son's weight issue. She found help at a free community mission in her Texas town called El Buen Samaritano. The lesson Emilia learned in trying to help her son was that community resources are there for the taking. Why not get a little assistance from experts who are just waiting to help? Joining El Buen Samaritano also overhauled the family's habits. They’ve gone from eating junk foods to healthy meals and now include exercise into their lifestyle. Read more of their story at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation's Be Well Book, which tells mothers' stories . Watch their story ...

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Webinars on Childhood Obesity



The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity offers a webinar series, “Let’s End the Childhood Obesity Epidemic,” at noon ET each Thursday to focus on childhood obesity research, advocacy and other hot topics in the field. The topic for Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, is "Getting Back in Balance: Influencing Policy and Environmental Factors to Increase Children's Physical Activity Levels and Consumption of Nutritious Foods." For a prior Webinar on Latino childhood obesity, watch the presentation or view the slides by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, head of SaludToday, Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San ...

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Wrap Up on Latino Child Obesity Summit



The team behind SaludToday recently held its first-ever Scientific Summit on Latino childhood obesity.  Salud America!, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation national research program to prevent obesity among Latino children, united researchers, community leaders and policy-makers from Sept. 9-11, 2009, in San Antonio to discuss the latest advancements and progress in reducing Latino childhood obesity. View the Summit Report. It includes commentary by: Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the U.S. Lance Armstrong, champion cyclist Sean Elliott, ex-NBA player, and his wife, Claudia Zapata, health columnist (pictured at left) Texas Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. And many more Visit Salud America! ...

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Story: Latino Mother Shares How She Improved Her Family’s Health



From the Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Andrea is a Latino mother who adapted her Mexican culture’s traditional recipes with healthy alternatives to honor her ancestors and show her love. Some of Andrea's quick tips are: Take favorite ethnic recipes and make them healthier without sacrificing taste. Instead of frying beans in lard, you can steam them in a slow cooker. If you know in your heart that a food isn’t healthy, then avoid feeding it to your child on a regular basis. Watch Andrea's story below. Read more about her story and other mother's stories at the Alliance's new Be Well ...

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‘Did You Know’ Truth about Latino Child Obesity?



Watch this dramatic video about the obesity epidemic among Latino children. Is it powerful? Are you interested in helping fight the epidemic? Please comment! For more on Latino childhood obesity, visit Salud ...

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