Tell USDA: Save SNAP (Again)!


save SNAP

SNAP food assistance is at risk again, and we need your help. Just days after legislators protected SNAP in the Farm Bill, the Trump Administration on Dec. 20, 2018, proposed a SNAP regulation that could eliminate food assistance for unemployed and underemployed people in areas with insufficient jobs; undo long-settled regulations; increase hunger and nutrition-related diseases; and increase poverty, the Food Research & Action Center reports. You can make a public comment to tell USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue how much you value SNAP, and urge him to ensure the program continues to feed Latino and all disadvantaged families. Here’s how you can speak up: Copy this model comment (add a personal story if possible): I greatly value the SNAP program. And I am not alone. SNAP ...

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Bad News: USDA Relaxes School Food Rules


latino kids in a school food lunch line

Earlier in 2018, over 700 Salud America! members and thousands of others submitted public comments to oppose the USDA's proposed measure that could weaken nutrition standards in schools. Unfortunately, USDA approved its measure. The new rules aim to give schools flexibility in achieving higher nutritional standards for milk, whole grains, and sodium, according to a USDA press release.  Unfortunately, experts say that really means: Schools in the national school lunch and breakfast programs will be allowed to serve flavored, low-fat milk, which is prohibited under existing standards. The requirement for the portion of grains that must qualify as whole-grain-rich will be relaxed. There will be a delay to meeting sodium reduction requirements, even though 9 out of ...

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Update: Farm Bill Passes with No Cuts to SNAP


SNAP federal food assistance protect poverty

The Farm Bill cleared the U.S. House on a 369–47 vote after passing the Senate with a vote of 87–13, and cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are not included, according to the Food Research & Action Center. Past versions of the bill had contained a $20 billion cut of SNAP over 10 years. “The negotiators appear to have achieved a bipartisan compromise that maintains and modestly strengthens SNAP, ensuring that millions of struggling Americans will continue to be able to count on SNAP to help them put food on the table,” Robert Greenstein, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, told the Washington Post. This is great news for Latinos and all. SNAP is proven to: Lifts millions of people out of poverty and helps them stay ...

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London to Ban Ads for Junk Food on Public Transit



London will ban advertisements for unhealthy food on public transportation in February 2019, as a publicly approved way to reduce rising obesity rates. Other cities can use the ban as a model. London Obesity London has one of the highest childhood overweight and obesity rates in Europe. Of children ages 10 and 11, more than 37% are overweight or obese. London Mayor Sadiq Khan is particularly concerned because children living in deprived neighborhoods are almost twice as likely to be overweight. “It’s completely unacceptable that in a city as prosperous as London, where you live and the amount you earn can have a massive impact on whether you have access to healthy, nutritious food,” the mayor said in a press release. “I’m determined to change this.” He is ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 12/4/18: “Healthy Holidays – How To”


latino family holiday meal Thanksgiving

40% of Latino kids are overweight or obese, comparted to 32% of all U.S. children. Adult obesity rates reached 35% in at least 7 states and saw increases in 31 states across the U.S. from 2012-2017, while no significant drops in obesity rates were seen in any state, over the last year. Let’s use #SaludTues on Dec. 4, 2018, to tweet information, resources, and tips that will help us all prevent or help the health dangers of stress, unhealthy eating and limited physical activity during the best time of the year. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Healthy Holidays - How To” TIME / DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, 12/4/18 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: Chap Care (@ChapCareOrg), American Heart Association San Antonio ...

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4 Easy Actions to Promote Health Equity for Thanksgiving


smiling latina women with megaphone raise voice speak up

Thanksgiving is a time for giving back. It's a perfect opportunity to raise your voice and take action to create health equity for Latino and all families this holiday season! 1. Make a Comment on Public Charge! Every family deserves a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. But the Trump administration's proposed change to the Public Charge rule could penalize legal immigrants if they use public benefits, such as food assistance or housing, according to the National Immigration Law Center. The government wants your input on this by Dec. 10, 2018! COPY the below model comment. HIT "Comment Now" button. PASTE the comment with YOUR EDIT. Immigrant families deserve a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible, just like all people in (ADD ...

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Research: Parents Are Buying More Fast Food for Their Kids



Latino and all parents are purchasing fast food for their children more frequently in recent years, while 75% of kids meals still come with an unhealthy drink or side, according to a recent study by the UCONN Rudd Center for Food and Obesity. Fast-food consumption is linked to poor diet quality in youth. The new study examined parents’ reported fast-food purchases for their children ages 2-11 and changes over time, in light of several fast-food restaurants recently adopting policies to offer healthier drinks and/or sides with their kids’ meals. Parents were surveyed in 2010, 2013, and 2016 about fast-food purchases at McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, or Subway. The 2016 survey also covered KFC, Dairy Queen, and Panera Bread. The findings are unsettling. Findings: ...

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Report: Latino, Black Youth Far More Obese than Peers


US map youth obesity rates

Nationwide, 20.6% of Latino youth and 22.5% of Black youth have obesity compared to 12.5% of white youth, according to a new data report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The new data feature obesity rates among youth ages 10-17 nationally and from each state from the 2016 and 2017 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), along with analysis conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Five states have Latino youth obesity rates over 30%. No states have White youth obesity rates over that mark. “Far too many young people in this country are facing increased chances of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, all due to a preventable condition … black and Latino youth are still more likely ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 10/30: Why Culinary Health Education Matters



Did you know approximately 40% of Latino kids are overweight or obese? Additionally, unhealthy food contributes to disease, especially in Latino families who lack access to healthy foods and nutrition education. Join us on Twitter for #SaludTues on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, to find out how to take action and tweet about the importance of culinary health and food as medicine. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Why Culinary Health Education Matters TIME/DATE: 1 P.M. ET, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 WHERE: On Twitter using hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOSTS: CHEF - Culinary Health Education for Families (@CHEFSanAntonio), Farm to School (@FarmtoSchool), Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living (@msdcenter). We’ll open the floor to your comments, ...

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