Residents of Brownsville, Texas, struggle to find affordable, healthy food in their neighborhoods, and overweight/obesity rates were higher than 80%, said City Commissioner Dr. Rose Gowen. The situation spurred health officials, researchers, and community members to unite and create a farmers’ market that would serve up fresh produce to residents.
The Rise of Obesity as a Health Issue
Awareness: Downtown Brownsville, Texas, is home to many low-income families. Many of these families struggle with chronic diseases, like diabetes. In fact, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services, more than a quarter of children in Brownsville are overweight or obese. Brownsville City Commissioner and physician Dr. Rose Gowen saw this decline in community health. Eating ...
Research shows that children who consume too many sugary drinks risk developing diseases related to unhealthy weight. Health leaders, school officials, and parents in one community in California worked to create a plan to bump sugary drinks out of early-childcare centers and help kids fall in love with water at a young age.
The Issue of Unhealthy Food and Drink
Awareness: More than 44% of children overall in Madera County, Calif., are overweight or obese. Rates are higher for certain groups. Public health groups across California are recognizing these issues and working to reduce them. CA4Health, directed by the Public Health Institute (PHI) in California, is a statewide healthy-living grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention covering rural and small California ...
The nutritional quality of lunches is improving in schools in Fairfax, Va. But the news wasn’t all good. Parents saw that, despite healthier lunch improvements, sugary drinks remained stocked in vending machines. Sugary drinks consumption contributes to increased rates of obesity and diabetes, studies show. So several parents banded together and, with the support of a member of the local school board and students alike, made a change to remove sugary drinks and replace them with healthier options in vending machines at seven schools.
The Issue of Unhealthy Drinks in Schools
Awareness: The Fairfax School District serves around 184,000 students. In the district’s 25 high schools, Latinos make up 19% of the student body. JoAnne Hammermaster has two kids in the district and ...
Many of America's children struggle with obesity. That’s why we're excited to announce that Salud America! has received a two-year, $2.1 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) for its ongoing pursuit of healthy changes to address epidemic of childhood obesity across the nation. Salud America! will expand its 2,000-member network and develop a digital infrastructure to support, inform, and empower healthy changes. This digital infrastructure will create content and communications on research, training, and education on childhood obesity to empower people to start or support healthy changes. Please join the network here. “In the midst of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, we’re extremely pleased that RWJF is supporting our unprecedented ...
