In a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, scientists compared data on contemporary children with those of the 1980's. They discovered that the rise in obesity among very young children is predominantly in families where the parents are obese. Toddlers as a whole have not changed. By contrast, obesity among adolescents has not been restricted to those with obese parents, but has occurred across the entire age group. The data suggests that parenting is the primary determinant of obesity in early years, whereas peer influence plays a larger role later on. Full Article ...
Latino and African American youth as well as individuals belonging to a local coalition of health leaders joined forces to launch Open Truth, a counter-advertising campaign that exposes big soda companies’ marketing tactics aimed at youth and communities of color. The result was a series of poems and videos created by youth, as well as dozens of ads viewed by millions, a website, and a viral social media campaign aimed at getting those targeted by soda companies to speak out against Big Soda. EMERGENCE Awareness: By 2008, Christina Goette of the San Francisco Public Health Department and Shape Up San Francisco (Shape Up SF), a coalition of community groups and leaders interested in preventing chronic disease and promoting better health for the region, were already very ...
Why walk to school? Is it safe? Local Safe Routes to School Programs are only successful when they are used by the public. The Ohio Safe Routes Academy is helping their community understand the reasons why to use these programs and offering free workshops on ways to implement the programs in their own schools. They will be providing workshops on, Walking School Bus Training, Crossing Guard Training, Non-Infrastructure Implementation, How to Conduct a Walk Audit, Girls in Gear, and many other similar topics. The workshops will be free and benefit not only students, but also families and all residents in Ohio. To learn more about Ohio's next webinars and workshops, click here. To find out what can work in your community to help make the ways to school safer, check out ...
The FDA has given food manufacturing companies 3 years to comply with a new ban on partially hydrogenated oils, also known as trans fat. Trans fat is found in baked, fried and processed food and is associated with heart disease. It has been used for decades because it is cheaper and lasts longer than animal-based fats. However, reduced cost means increased consumption in many low-income and minority populations. Latinos are not only faced with increased marketing for cheaper processed foods, but they are also burdened with increased risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, diabetes and physical inactivity. The FDA estimates that removing trans fats will help prevent up to 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths each year. Dr. Golomb said, “as I tell patients, while ...
Grass is greener on the other side, or maybe just a 10-minute walk away. Green 2015 and the national Trust for Public Land are working under the program Parks for People- Philadelphia to bring in new parks and green spaces to Philadelphia's underserved communities. A study from Green 2015 showed that one in eight Philadelphia residents don't have access to public parks or green space within a short distance from home. Eighty percent of Americans are living in urban or metropolitan areas, where these green spaces offer the closest way for many Latino kids to get the exercise they need on a daily basis. Philadelphia's new initiative is to create suitable green spaces within a 10-minute walk of every home in the city. This goal is under a program called Parks for People- ...
If hit while walking by a driver going 20 mph, the risk of death is 5%. If hit while walking by a driver going 40 mph, the risk of death is 85%. Pedestrian advocates in Atlanta (10.2% Latino) are trying to slow drivers down and make walking safe and accessible for all pedestrians. Pedestrians Educating Drivers on Safety (PEDS) teaches drivers and pedestrians about their rights and responsibilities and encourages transportation professionals to design streets for pedestrians rather than only for cars. One effort is to post SLOW DOWN signs. Community members are posting SLOW DOWN signs on their streets to remind drivers not to treat their neighborhood street like a highway. PEDS made these signs free and available at participating stores and events across Atlanta. So ...
SNAP 2 it! is copying similar programs from around the country, where recipients of the the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, can get each dollar spent on these fresh foods matched. A recent article, talks about the local farmer's markets involved in the program: Schlafly’s Bottleworks, Webster Groves Farmers Market, Cherokee Street Farmers Market, International Institute of St. Louis Global Farms, North City Farmers Market, and Tower Grove Farmers Market, as well as the Earth Dance booth at the Ferguson Farmers Market. By making the food more affordable and multiplying the dollar-for-dollar model, they hope to bring in a more diverse population for customers using EBT and other similar payment ...
Good News!
A healthy summer is just around the corner! However, it's not always easy for some families to keep healthy meals available while schools out. If you or anyone you know is looking looking for a healthy alternative to provide healthy meals during the summer months, check out the latest Summer Feeding Programs in your area. Click here to find where you can get a free meal for kids 18 and ...
WIC, Texas Agriculture Department and The Food Bank-RVG, are teaming up to make fresh farmers' market foods available to local Latino moms. The local valley news has stated that the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program and has been successfully engaging WIC clients and changing their eating habits. “I love the idea of being able to get freshly picked vegetables with these vouchers,” Maria Calvo, a WIC participant from Raymondville, said. “It’s important for my children to eat healthy at a young age.” To see all the states where this program is active, check out the WIC Farmers' Market Program. The active Farmers' Markets in the valley are: Pharrmers Market, at the Food Bank RGV, Weslaco, McAllen Farmers Market at the McAllen Public Library, and Brownsville Farmers ...
