The annual Get It Done! Festival will take place on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 at Marc T. Atkinson Middle School in Phoenix, AZ (40.48% Latino population). The free family event provides medical, dental, and vision checkups to school-age kids. There are also free immunization shots, haircuts, and other services for the whole family. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved. Experts will also be on hand to answer medical questions, help with health insurance, tax preparation, education, and more. There will also be live entertainment, arts and crafts, and games for the family. Read more about the event here. Read stories similar to this ...
Walking is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your health! Unfortunately many Latino families lack access to safe places to walk and play, thus face health disparities. The America Public Health Association is hosting a billion mile challenge to encourage everyone to log some steps and to start the conversation about designing communities that promote physical activity. The Billion Steps Challenge begins January 9, and continues through April 9, 2017. Learn more and register yourself or a team here. They provide the technology platform as well as sample promotional ...
Perceptions of place impact behavior, thus health. Think of specific places, like neighborhoods, sidewalks, and parks; specific physical activity behaviors like walking, playing, and biking; and specific health issues, like heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Latino children often lack access-both real and perceived-to safe, available places to be physically active, thus their mental, physical, and emotional health suffer. Literature regarding inequity in places to walk and play and subsequent health disparities is continuously growing. According to a new survey, perceptions of place also impact civic engagement. The Center for Active Design (CfAD) analyzed data from the Soul of the Community survey to explore the relationship between qualities of place and civic ...
According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a report from the JAMA Internal Medicine journal, more than 75% of all American adults today are either overweight or obese. For the first time in history, the number of obese people has surpassed that of the overweight, Wallethub reports. Wallethub studied new data published by the Physical Activity Council to compare the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., to determine which were the unhealthiest. Focusing on 17 indicators of weight-related health problems, including the percentage of adults that were overweight or obese and sugary-beverage consumption by adults. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, ...
When city leaders in Loretto, Tenn. (2% Latino) began discussion of closing the city's only pool, residents turned to social media to stay informed and engaged, and they won. Swimming may be most the promising activity to get and keep Latino kids active in and out of school. In 2011, the Loretto City Pool closed because of safety concerns. In early 2013, Loretto residents started a Facebook page to get a new pool built. Through the “Save the Loretto City Pool” Facebook page, residents stayed informed of city council meetings and project updates and encouraged each other to attend public meetings. The Loretto Parks and Recreation Department conducted a needs assessment asking residents what the top three priorities were over the next five years when it comes to parks and ...
Seventy-three percent of parents report that their child's afterschool program is located in a public school building, according to the Afterschool Alliance. However, Latino kids in underserved communities have limited options for healthy afterschool programs, which is part of the reason they are more likely to be overweight or obese than their peers. Schools and communities must work together to create a support network to provide healthy food and active play for Latino and all children to succeed. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation consulted with seven experts to talk about why school-community collaborations are essential and how to craft successful partnerships. One of the takeaways is to utilize existing resources/facilities/networks. For example, one of the ...
Kids who receive physical education (PE) in school are more active outside of school, according to the Physical Activity Council (PAC) 2016 Participation Report. The PAC annually tracks US participation in 120 sports, fitness, and recreation activities and also found that all age groups rate swimming for fitness in their top three favorite interests among 10 different activities. According to the 2016 Participation Report, children ages 6-17 rate swimming as their second favorite interest behind camping. Individuals ages 25-35 rate swimming as their number one interest among camping, bicycling, hiking, running, canoeing, backpacking, working with machines, working with weights or kayaking. Read more about why swimming in school may be the most promising physical ...
Swimming in school may be the most promising physical activity to get and keep Latino and all kids active in and out of school. Kids who receive physical education (PE) in school are more active outside of school, according to the Physical Activity Council (PAC) 2016 Participation Report. This is particularly relevant for Latino kids who are at increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases related to inactivity. The PAC annually tracks US participation in 120 sports, fitness, and recreation activities and found that all age groups rate swimming for fitness in their top three favorite interests among 10 different activities. For example, children ages 6-17 rate swimming as their second favorite interest behind camping. Individuals ages 25-35 rate ...
City parks worker Michael Baldwin saw rampant physical inactivity and disease in San Antonio, Texas (68% Latino). To help, he wanted to attract people to existing health programs and services in city parks. Baldwin and his team, through local collaborations, developed Fit Pass, a city-wide scavenger hunt for wellness and physical activities. People can download a phone app or a bilingual Fit Pass passport that can be stamped for attending some of 2,300 activities across San Antonio parks, incentivizing Latino families to get physically active and play in parks. Physical Inactivity in San Antonio
Michael Baldwin, special projects manager with the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department (Parks Department) in San Antonio, Texas, has helped develop and implement ...