A combination of regulation of unhealthy foods, support from community organizations, and individual behavior changes is crucial to reducing high rates of obesity among Latinos, according to a new report released this week by The Hispanic Institute. The report, “Obesity: Hispanic America’s Big Challenge,” details the impact of diabetes and heart disease on the Latino community, which suffers from those obesity-related conditions at rates higher than Whites. The report also offers recommendations and examines the positive roles of diet, exercise, and technology. “Of course, we’re responsible for what we eat and drink, but we’re also subject to the effects of massive advertising and misleading promotional campaigns—especially on our children and the poor,” said Gus ...
In the movie The Killing Strain, Juan "Rick" Carrillo plays a soldier who escapes a helicopter crash to lead a small group of flu-epidemic survivors to safety. On screen, he was a tough, nothing-can-stop-him hero. Off screen, though, Carrillo struggled fighting the elements—mountain cedar had him blowing his nose, taking antihistamines and using his inhaler between takes. “I wasn’t feeling 100%, but the scenes captured during filming were very effective in telling the story of this gutsy soldier,” Carrillo said. “This always reminds me the great power a camera has on creating a world for audiences to absorb and be part of.” Today, Carrillo is putting his acting and film-making experience to work as a TV producer/director for the Institute for Health Promotion ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Jenny Castillo
Austin, Texas Native San Antonio resident Jenny Castillo not only cares about helping Latinos get off the couch and get fit to beat disease, she also knows the value of incorporating culturally infused methods of physical activity. For example, her passion for flamenco and folklorico dance represent an exciting way to bring Latino families together to get active. Castillo plans to put her passion for dance and her knowledge of Mexican American culture to good use as she pursues a master’s degree in health and kinesiology at The University of Texas at San Antonio. She expects to graduate in 2013. She ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Steven Lopez
San Mateo, Calif. Steven Lopez’s migrant parents beamed with pride as they dropped him off for his first year at Stanford University—in the same region of California which they had picked fruit from years before to make a living. Appreciating the sacrifices and hard work of his parents to give him a better life and opportunities, Lopez dedicated himself to his studies and earned a bachelor’s degree in urban studies from Stanford University. In addition, Lopez obtained a master’s degree in public health and public policy from the University of California, Berkeley. With this level of ...
Sugary drinks are a top source of calories in the American diet. This is troubling because the nation is struggling with an obesity epidemic. Given that Latinos especially suffer from higher rates of obesity than several other population groups, "The Real Bears," a recent animated short film that has generated more than 2 million views on YouTube, has now been converted into Spanish. “The Real Bears,” which tells the story of a family suffering the adverse health effects of soda, including obesity, tooth decay, and diabetes and its associated complications, including amputation and erectile dysfunction, is produced by nonprofit group Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). It features an original song by Grammy-award-winning singer/songwriter Jason Mraz and ...
About 31% of U.S. Latinos are obese and 30.6% have a sedentary lifestyle, higher rates than the overall population (27.8% and 26.2%, respectively), according to a new snapshot of the nation's health. Latinos' obesity and diabetes rates continue to be alarming, experts say. But the news isn't all bad: Latinos' rates of premature death, death due to cancers, cardiovascular deaths and infant mortality all improved, according to an NBC Latino report on the new America's Health Rankings. The rankings, which comes from the United Health Foundation and the American Public Health Association and the Partnership for Prevention, looks at 24 measures of health, including tobacco and alcohol abuse, exercise, infectious diseases, crime rates, premature birth rates and cancer and heart disease ...
Heart disease risk factors are widespread among U.S. Latino adults, with 80% of men and 71% of women having at least one risk factor for heart disease, according to a San Diego State University (SDSU) study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These percentages are much higher than the general population, where 49% of adults have at least one major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Prevalence of risk factors varies across Hispanic/Latino background groups, with some groups, particularly those with Puerto Rican background, experiencing high rates of heart disease risk factors compared to other groups, according to findings from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), which will be published in today's Journal of the American Medical ...
A tax on soda would carry the greatest health benefits for black and Latino Californians, who face the highest risks of diabetes and heart disease, according to recent research findings, California Watch reports. According to the news report:
The study found that if a penny-per-ounce tax was applied to soda, cuts in consumption would result in an 8 percent decline in diabetes cases among blacks and Latinos. The statewide reduction in new diabetes cases is projected at 3 to 5.6 percent, according to researchers from UC San Francisco, Columbia University and Oregon State University, who released their findings at a recent American Public Health Association annual meeting.
The study was unveiled as a sugar-sweetened beverage tax faces votes in El Monte, in Los Angeles County, and ...
Editor’s Note: This post is part of an ongoing series that will highlight work of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in Latino communities. SaludToday Guest Blogger: Risa Lavizzo-Mourey
President and CEO, RWJF RWJF and the Trust for America’s Health recently released our annual report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future. Obesity rates in the United States remain unacceptably high, and the epidemic persists in affecting Blacks and Hispanics disproportionately. For the first time, this year’s report examined how the obesity epidemic could impact our future 20 years from now. Ironically, this forecast has made me reflect on the past. Thirty years ago, I lived in Philadelphia and was an instructor at Temple University. After a long day ...
