The time kids spend in front of a screen for entertainment has increased by an hour and 17 minutes since 2004, research shows. Check out this new infographic about the surprising amounts of TV, video game, computer and other entertainment screen time that children are getting, and the opportunities for physical activity that they are missing out on. The infographic, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also provides tips for healthier activities and ways parents can limit screen time in the home. Find the infographic here. For more information, visit ...
The ¡Nunca Más! Novela Health Series seeks to educate Latinas and their families about the importance of safe medication use. The series, launched in October 2011 by the Office of Women's Health at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, provides consumers and community leaders with access to four video novelas and free health materials about safe medication use, which is vital given that each year thousands of preventable injuries and deaths are caused by improper medication use. The series follows the lives of main character Lourdes and her family. In each episode, the family faces a problem because they don't use medicines wisely. Find more about the campaign in English or Spanish. Watch all episodes here. When you watch them, ask yourself: What lessons do Lourdes and her ...
With literally more than a million cancer cases a year in the U.S., the special emotional needs of children of adult cancer patients are sometimes overlooked. That's why Camp Kesem, a national nonprofit program, created a college-student-run summer camp for kids with a parent who has or has had cancer. The one-week camps give kids ages 6-13 a chance to have a fun-filled week and "just be kids" and get extra attention and support, according the group's website. Since 2001, Camp Kesem has grown from a single camp to 37 active chapters in 22 states. Camp Kesem Berkeley (Calif.), for example, supports children in the Greater Bay Area and Tri-Valley area by putting on a completely free week-long overnight summer camp for children and teens (ages 6-16) who have a parent that either has or ...
About 80% of American voters favor national standards that would limit calories, fat and sodium in snack and à la carte foods sold in U.S. schools and encourage the consumption of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy items, according to a new poll. The poll was commissioned by the Kids' Safe & Healthful Foods Project, a joint project of The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Check out this brief video that explains the impact these foods and beverages can have on kids' health and how policymakers are trying to make sure schools provide kids with healthy foods and ...
Liver cancer rates among South Texas Latinos are higher than in other U.S. Latinos, as are their rates of obesity and diabetes—and the relationships between these ailments are being mapped by researchers at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday. In a study published April 18, 2012, in the journal PLoS ONE, the researchers looked at overall liver cancer rates among U.S. Latinos and compared this to a Texas sample and a South Texas subset from 1995-2006. They also compared prevalence among Latinos of lifestyle-associated factors that contribute to liver cancer: heavy alcohol use, smoking, obesity and diabetes. They found that from 1995 to 2006, annual age-adjusted liver cancer incidence ...
A new National Institutes of Health website, NIH Clinical Research Trials and You, is designed to help people learn about clinical trials and how they can participate. The resource, offered in English and Spanish, answers basic questions such as What are clinical trials and why do people participate? and What do I need to know if I am thinking about participating? In addition, the website offers volunteer stories, researcher stories and educational resources. You can also get help finding a clinical ...
Editor’s Note: This post is part of an ongoing series that will highlight the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s work in Latino communities across the country. On May 5, 2012, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) will team up to provide Hispanic media with an in-depth look at a health care issue that’s key to the Latino community. The panel discussion, “Reflection in the Mirror: Latino leaders inspire young Hispanics to see themselves in the health and health care field,” will address the importance of diversifying this country’s health and health care fields. Prominent Latinos will detail their respective journeys and the importance of having health professionals reflect the communities in which they ...
The American Heart Association (AHA) has introduced a fresh, new look to its nationally recognized nutrition icon—the Heart-Check mark. More types of food can now be certified as heart-healthy, including fish and nuts, to help meet the AHA's goal of dramatically improving the nation's cardiovascular health. All shoppers need to do at the grocery store is look for the familiar Heart-Check mark to find foods that make the heart-healthy grade. “With these enhancements, the Heart-Check program will help consumers easily identify and choose even more heart-healthy foods for themselves and their families,” said Dr. Rachel Johnson, a professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont and the vice chair of the American Heart Association nutrition committee. Foods such as salmon ...
Do encouraging, personalized messages, received on a regular basis, inspire women to exercise after they’ve been treated for breast cancer? To find out, the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio is enrolling Hispanic survivors of breast cancer for a 16-week clinical research exercise study conducted in South Texas' Lower Rio Grande Valley to address this topic. Changed thinking that leads to self-confidence leads to changed behavior—that’s the idea behind the study. The study requires two visits to the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio's Regional Academic Health Center campus in Harlingen to answer questionnaires, do a complete physical fitness assessment and develop each woman’s individualized comprehensive ...
