According to a recent research review, the Safe Routes to School program has been successful in increasing the proportion of students that walk and bike to school. The Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) program provides education, encouragement and road improvements to create safe conditions to increase rates of walking and biking. This is particularly important for low-income populations who tend to experience greater rates of obesity and pedestrian injury and tend to live in areas with poor walking conditions. Participating schools were more likely to be in high-density areas. These areas found fewer rates of child pedestrian injuries and increased rates of walking and biking compared to areas that did not participate in SRTS. Additionally, rates of walking and biking increased over ...
Improved technology, like smart phones and tablets, is often blamed for increasing unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles in children. But what if this technology could be used to actually promote healthy living? Learn how a non-profit in Austin, Texas created a free mobile App that connects folks ready to get healthier with countless opportunities right in their backyard.
The Need for Better Health in the Community
Awareness: Chances are most Texans know someone, even kids, with diet-related health conditions. In fact, 42.8% of 4th graders in Texas are overweight or obese. Making healthier lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Fortunately, IT’S TIME TEXAS (ITT) is one of the many organizations across the state working to help people to lead healthier lives and build ...
Editor's Note: #SaludTues is a weekly Tweetchat hosted at 1 p.m. every Tuesday on Twitter by @SaludAmerica. Health is vital. But some families face barriers to good health—lack of access to care, parks, healthy food, as well as more junk food marketing and sugary drinks—which contribute to high obesity rates. Today let’s tweet about the issues that impact our health and well-being during and what we can to create health for families at the inaugural #SaludTues Tweetchat. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to Create Health for Families”
DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014
TIME: Noon CST (1:00 PM ET)
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
Co-HOSTS: @SaludToday, @AHA_Vida, and @RWJF_Live! We'll open the floor to your stories and experiences as we ...
Please join #SaludTues, a new weekly Tweetchat series about health (salud)! The series, which takes place every Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET (12 P.M. CST), will feature any health issue can be a topic for the #SaludTues chat, from heart health, childhood obesity, nutrition and physical activity, access to health care, education, etc. Chats are hosted by @SaludAmerica, the health social media campaign, and two co-host experts or organizations. When is #SaludTues Tweetchat No. 1? On Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014, let's tweet about what we can to create a health for families at the inaugural #SaludTues chat and discuss our health and well-being. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: "How to Create a Health for Families"
DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014
TIME: Noon CST (1:00 PM ET)
WHERE: On ...
The southern area of Santa Ana, Calif., had limited places to be active—and not a single park. Desperate for more active spaces to give them more chances to get fit and avoid disease and obesity, residents pushed for and received a new park, Corazones Verdes Park. While park construction remained underway, members of Latino Health Access sought alternative active spaces. That’s when they came up with the idea of creating a Wellness Corridor through downtown Santa Ana. Now partners from across the city are discussing ways to make the community more walkable, and residents of all ages are learning to effectively voice the need for healthy options.
The Issue of Active Spaces and Obesity
Awareness: America Bracho, a Venezuelan-born physician and public health advocate for the ...
Thanks to a partnership between Beverly Gor and Children and Neighbors Defeat Obesity (CAN DO) Houston, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD), and the Houston Independent School District (HISD), students at Briscoe Elementary School in Houston now have new opportunities for the active play they need to ensure health and prevent childhood obesity. Before the collaboration, parents identified a lack of physical activity as a primary health concern; now thanks to an after school busing program, students can attend after-school activities at a nearby park for free.
The Need for More Green Spaces for Physical Activity
Awareness: In 2005, the 44% Latino city of Houston was named America’s fattest city by Men’s Fitness magazine, prompting the formation of the Mayor’s ...
San Antonio pedestrians and cyclists will now have safer streets and walkways thanks to the implementation of the citywide Complete Streets policy. This San Antonio Complete Streets policy has not only helped those living in the city’s Westside, but has also paved the way for residents throughout the entire community to gain a better understanding of how an active-living-friendly environment can foster healthier lives.
The Issue of Transportation
Awareness: Health professionals, including David Clear and Kathy Shields of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health), were beginning to see that obesity was a problem in San Antonio (63% Latino). Along with obesity, many also suffered from diabetes. In 2004, Metro Health began collecting health data from students ...
An elementary school is proving that morning exercise through a walking school bus program can benefit students, parents, and the community. Not only have school attendance rates increased, community engagement levels have increased, too. A Walking School Bus at Brightwood Elementary School in Springfield, Mass., now offers hope—and physical activity—to a community that not long ago faced fears of unsafe streets and high crime rates. Karen Pohlman, a nurse practitioner and community program manager for Baystate Medical Center, knew the community was struggling and wanted to improve people’s health, so she developed a plan to implement a walking school bus at Brightwood Elementary.
The Need for Physical Activity among Children
Awareness: Crime was high in the North End of ...
