Sustainability Research Grant Competition Seeks Groundbreaking Research Ideas



A new $21,367 dollar grant for a one-year investigation is being awarded to meet global research needs. The 2017 Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition (BCFN) is looking for groundbreaking research ideas around the sustainability of food systems. BCFN grants support PhD and postdoctoral researchers under the age of 35 or who are pursuing or completed a PhD in the field of food and nutrition. Researchers who are currently undergoing research or have new research are encouraged to submit projects online through the BCFN website by June 28th. Three awards will be given and all finalists will be a part of the BCFN Alumni to keep topics and dialogue alive on these subjects. To learn more about this research grant opportunity, click ...

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Health Warning Labels Proposed for Sugary Sports Drinks



In California, a new bill to warn consumers of the sugars in sports drinks is making its way before the senate health committee in late March or early April, according to The Californian. “The State of California continues to see a rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes among its residents and it is occurring at younger and younger ages,” Senator Bill Monning said. “Strong and compelling scientific evidence clearly shows drinking sodas, sports drinks, and other sugary drinks heightens your risk for preventable chronic diseases.” In a state like California, where Latinos outnumber whites, research shows that Latino youth consume far more sugar-sweetened beverages than their white peers, which can lead to higher health risks and disparities among Latino youth. In fact, Latino ...

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Arkansas House of Representatives Passed Bill Aligning Food Stamps With Other Health Initiatives


Latino Health WIC SNAP policy sugary drinks

Obesity rates in Arkansas (7.2% Latino) have been on the rise. Excessively sugary foods and drinks increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, and other chronic diseases. According to our research review, Latinos and people living in poverty are more likely to consume excessively sugary foods and drinks. To address poor nutrition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has modified the nutrition standards for nearly all of its federal food programs to align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, except for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Arkansas Lawmakers proposed House Bill 1035 during the 2017 legislative session that would limit SNAP to foods that have "sufficient nutritional value." The Arkansas Department of Health ...

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CSPI Calls Out Chili’s For Soda on Kids’ Menus



The Center for Science in the Public Interest is asking for your help to ensure Chili's removes soda from kids' menus. Latino kids, who are often more marketed sodas than their white peers consume more sugary drinks than their white peers, where 74% of Latinos have had a sugary drink by age two. Research also shows that Latino high-school students have about three or more sugary drinks a day, and with each extra sugary drink the risk of becoming an obese adult jumps to 60%! Many restaurants have already taken the healthy step to remove sodas from kids' menus, including Burger King, Wendy's, Dairy Queen, Jack in the Box, Applebee's and McDonald's! However, Chili's Grill & Bars continue to have soda on their kids' menus. One in every three children in our communities is ...

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Robla School District Gets Hydration Stations & Healthy Walking Program!



After United Way's Young Leaders Society, the Robla School District and the Health Education Council helped raise over $25,000 dollars to provide hydration stations at each school in the Robla School District (54% Latino), the district went a step further for health, literally. How? In the fall of 2015, after the Health Education Council met with students in their classrooms educating them on sugary beverages, the council also met with a small parent group at Taylor Street Elementary School to teach them about how to "Rethink Your Drink", educating parents on how much sugar is in the average soda, juices, and teas. Parents learned so much from the workshop that they wanted to know what else they could learn about. This conversation led to weekly nutrition workshops provided by ...

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Park City School District Increases Efforts to “Reach” Latino Students



It is well-known that there is an undeniable link between education and health. Better educated people have longer life expectancies. For Latinos, barriers often exist between them and obtaining the best education possible, creating disparities between them and other races and ethnic groups. In Park City, Utah (16.43% Latino population), the local school district is taking extra measures to reach out to its growing Latino student base. A new, deliberate, concerted effort has been undertaken to reach out to the area’s growing Latino residents to “ensure all students in Park City schools receive a top-flight education.” The Park City School District hired Eric Esquivel last year to be the Latino Community Relations Specialist and head the new Latino Advocacy Team. The group has ...

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Midland Hospital Encourages Plant Based Diets for Health



A city that is planning to be the healthiest city in Texas is looking to change they way they look at food to make heart disease and diabetes a thing of the past. In Midland, Texas (17.6 % Latino) Midland Memorial Hospital (MMH) is one of only two hospitals in the country to be part of a special partnership with the creator of Plant Pure Nation, a documentary about the health benefits of being on a pure plant based diet. The hospital has seen dramatic results in its patients who are going on this diet in regards to their health, where many patients have deterred their need for surgery or medications, just by changing their diets. Dr. Gurru, a local physician at the hospital for over 15 years explained to local CBS 7 news, why the hospital is promoting this type of ...

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Lawmakers Want To Lower Speed Limits in Texas Cities


Latino Health Vision Zero Pedestrian Safety

Four Texas cities are in the top 10 nationwide cities for speed-related fatal crashes. At 40 miles per hour, 90% of people who are hit while walking do not survive, compared to only 10% at 20 mph. Latinos make up a larger portion of pedestrian fatalities than whites. Speed is the most important factor to regulate to improve pedestrian safety for Latinos and all pedestrians. On February 10, 2017, Texas State Representative Celia Israel called for passage of the Safe Neighborhood Streets Bill (HB 1368) to lower the default speed limit in urban areas by 5 miles per hour, from 30 mph to 25 mph. Decreasing the speed limit to 25 mph would increase a pedestrian's odds of surviving a collision by 43%, according to one source, and could reduce disparities in pedestrian ...

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Latino CrossFit Enthusiast and Photographer Portrays Sugar As It Is In Common Foods



Many foods are marketed as "healthy" to consumers, but what about the amount of sugar that is in each product? Antonio R. Estrada, a photographer, CrossFit enthusiast and sports nutritionist is aiming to show consumers products marketed as healthy, in their true light, portraying the amount of sugar contained in many products that people consume on a daily basis. Estrada explains that his idea is simple, to show consumers the amounts of sugar in products in the same way that industries show their products, with great lighting, packaging and visual effects. By putting the amount of sugar next to each product, consumers visualize the amount of sugar in an easy to see format. He hopes that through this artistic way of portraying these products, consumers will share his photos (with ...

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