Why Don’t Latino Families Search for New Early Care and Education?



Latino parents were less likely to search for Head Start, preschool, or other early card and education (ECE) programs than their black or white peers, according to a new report. The report, from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families, examined national data to find out why and how low-income Latino parents search for ECE programs. ECE programs play a big role in reducing racial/ethnic disparities in early learning and later school outcomes. Turns out, only 35% of low-income Latino parents searched for ECE in the past 24 months. That’s less than black (49%) and white (41%) parents. “This may indicate that the ECE search process is more burdensome for Hispanic households, particularly if language barriers make it more difficult for them to access ...

Read More

Study: Milk Can Help Obese Latino Kids Avoid Metabolic Syndrome


Latina girl drinks milk at cafeteria free school meals

Obese Latino children who consume at least two servings of any type of cow’s milk daily are more likely to have lower fasting insulin, indicating better blood sugar control, according to a new study. The study points to milk's importance for kids, despite its declining consumption. U.S. milk consumption has consistently fallen over the past few decades. Adolescent consumption dropped by nearly half – to less than a cup daily – between 1977 and 2006, according to the USDA. “Our findings indicate that obese children who consume at least the daily recommended amount of milk may have more favorable sugar handling and this could help guard against metabolic syndrome,” Dr. Michael Yafi, the study’s first author and professor of pediatrics at McGovern Medical School at ...

Read More

How to Ease Stress for Latino Caregivers of Family with Alzheimer’s Disease


Alzheimer's caregiver

In Latino culture, family is the heart and children are expected to be caregivers for their aging parents. 1 in every 3 U.S. Latino households has at least one family caregiver. These Latino caregivers—mainly women in their 40s—juggle multiple jobs or leave the workforce entirely to enter the respectable but high-stress role of taking care of aging family members, who are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other age-related mental health issues. Latino caregivers of Alzheimer’s Disease patients deal with high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, studies show. "Too often, Latino caregivers do not know where to turn for guidance, relief, and support for their caregiving activities," according to a recent report from the National Hispanic ...

Read More

Policy Update: Supporting a Diverse Early Childhood Workforce for Dual Language Learners



One in three U.S. children younger than 8 lives in a non-English-speaking household, which makes them “dual language learners.” These dual language learners─often Spanish-speaking Latinos─may fall behind in a country where 81% of teachers are white, unless they benefit from a diverse early childhood workforce, according to new research from the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE). That’s why NASBE released a policy update urging state boards to take action to increase the quality and diversity of the teacher workforce. “It can help them more quickly develop social and emotional skills and gives them an opportunity to learn in a rich language and literacy environment,” the NASBE report states. Why Latino Kids Need a Diverse Teacher ...

Read More

#SaludTues Tweetchat 6/5: Improving Men’s Health in Communities of Color


Doctor measuring blood pressure

Why is men’s health so important for Latino and other men of color? Men die at higher rates than women from the top 10 causes of death and are the victims of over 92% of workplace deaths. Women are also more likely to visit the doctor for annual examinations and preventive services than men. Latino men live five years less than Latinas. They face high incidence and mortality rates due to prostate cancer, are more likely to be smokers, and are more likely to have undiagnosed mental health issues. These issues need our attention. So, for National Men’s Health Month in June, let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, June 5, 2018, to tweet about the state of men’s health and emerging strategies to improve men’s healthcare! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat─Improving Men’s ...

Read More

The Crisis and Stigma of Mental Health among Latinas


latino-kid mental health

More than 1 in 4 Latina high-schoolers have thought about committing suicide. Suicide attempts among Latina teenagers are at a higher rate than their non-Hispanic White female and Hispanic male peers, according to a Salud America! research review. That’s why it is important to explore the reasons why─and what to do about it. Latinas and Mental Health In the Latino community, mental health problems often are not spoken about. There is a stigma attached to it. Or people just don’t know enough about it, according to an article. That’s especially true for Latinas. “The expectations of what makes a ‘good’ Latina are often rooted in propriety and maintaining appearances, specifically when it involves something as personal as mental health or illness,” wrote Liz ...

Read More

Report: Every 65 Seconds, Someone Develops Alzheimer’s Disease


Report: Every 65 Seconds, Someone Develops Alzheimer’s Disease- getting involved

More than 5.7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease, a number expected to rise to 14 million by 2050, according to a March 2018 report by the Alzheimer’s Association. There is one new Alzheimer’s case every 65 seconds. Sadly, U.S. Latinos are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than whites, studies show. Preventing Alzheimer’s is critical as the young Latino population ages. “The number of Hispanic elders with Alzheimer's and related dementias could increase more than six-fold, from fewer than 200,000 today to as many as 1.3 million by 2050,” according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer’s Disease in Latinos In the U.S., two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients are women. Latinas are at higher risk than ...

Read More

Study: Latino Teens Drink More Sports Drinks


latino kid shopping sugary drinks sports drinks

Harvard researchers found a small but significant increase in the weekly consumption of high-carbohydrate sports drinks among teens, especially Latino teens, the Chicago Tribune reports. Researchers compared data from two national surveys in 2010 and 2015. In 2015, more than 57% of the more than 22,000 high school students surveyed reported drinking at least one sports drink in the prior week. That's up from 56% in 2010, according to the Tribune. Latino and black youth drank more sports drinks than white youth, too. This is bad news, especially after historic declines in children's consumption of sugary drinks overall. "[Sports] drinks shown in advertisements being consumed by impossibly fit athletes and named for fruits like mango, kiwi, and blackberry are aggressively ...

Read More

How Menu Labeling Will Impact Latino and All Families


calorie menu count

After seven long years, the FDA’s rules for menu labeling have finally taken effect. This is big news for Latino families in particular. These families face less access to healthy food options and struggle with higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and certain diseases than non-Latinos, according to a Salud America! research review. Menu labeling can help Latino and all families make healthier eating choices through clear, easy-to-use nutrition information at the point of ordering. So how did we get here, and how will menu labeling affect families? How’d We Get Menu Labeling? The FDA first proposed menu labeling rules in 2011. After years of tweaking, menu labeling rules had to overcome one final hurdle in 2017. FDA sought public comments on a possible one-year-delay of ...

Read More