How bad is sugary soda for your kid? In New York City (29% Latino), an 8-year-old would need to walk 70 minutes from City Hall to Times Square to burn off the 9 teaspoons of sugar in a kid's meal soda. That's why city leaders are making water, milk, and 100% juice the “default beverages” on kid’s menus, thanks to a new law to reduce childhood obesity in an area where 1 in 4 toddlers and preschoolers have at least one sugary drink a day. New York's City's law goes into effect May 1, 2020. “Sugary beverages contain no nutrients that children need, and they are disproportionally marketed to children in low income neighborhoods and communities of color,” said Dr. Judith A. Salerno of the New York Academy of Medicine, in a statement. “We believe that every child should ...
The beverages that children drink during early childhood can affect their health in the future. Latino children that have regularly consumed sugary drinks are twice as likely to develop obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in their lifetime, according to a new scientific review from Healthy Eating Research (HER). The review specifically studied the negative impact of sugary drinks on children’s health. “Early childhood is an important time to start shaping nutrition habits and promoting healthy beverage consumption,” said Megan Lott, deputy director of HER. HER also convened a panel of experts that recommended against flavored milks, sugar-sweetened and caffeinated beverages, toddler formulas, and plant-based/non-dairy milks for all children younger than 5. “By providing ...
Nine U.S. states had adult obesity rates above 35% in 2018, up from seven states at that level in 2017, an historic level of obesity in the U.S., according to the new State of Obesity report by Trust for America's Health. In 2012, no state had obesity rates over 35%. This alarming rise is even worse among Latinos. Data indicate that 47% of Latino adults and 25.8% of Latino children had obesity—the highest combined obesity rate among all racial/ethnic groups. "These latest data shout that our national obesity crisis is getting worse,” said John Auerbach of Trust for America's Health. “They tell us that almost 50 years into the upward curve of obesity rates we haven’t yet found the right mix of programs to stop the epidemic."
Alarming Rise in Obesity Rates
The State of ...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will investigate 127 reports of people suffering seizures and other neurological symptoms after using e-cigarettes. CDC reported 26 deaths on vaping-related lung illness and on Oct. 11, 2019, a17-year-old boy from the Bronx died of vaping-related illness, becoming the first teen fatality. Later, CDC produced a report suggesting that the outbreak of lung injury is associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products. As of Nov. 27, 2019, the CDC announced 47 deaths and 2,290 illnesses and the American Medical Association called for an immediate ban on all electronic cigarettes and vaping devices. The FDA said these reported cases occurred between 2010 and 2019, and, in addition to seizures, some people reported fainting or ...
You've probably heard of the many health benefits of breastfeeding, but did you know that promoting equity in breastfeeding can be just as important? For many women and babies of color breastfeeding could mean a matter of life and death or sickness and health. Breastfeeding also offers economic benefits. Unfortunately, many mothers face barriers to breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding in the Latino Community
Although 77% Latina mothers start off breastfeeding, this number drops to 21%, 6 months after giving birth. One of the most common reasons for why women stop breastfeeding is the need to return to work or school. Some women may lack support from their family and peers. Many Latina mothers are also faced with a lack of breastfeeding support from health care providers, and ...
Like many large-scale manufactured products in today’s society, the shirts, sweaters, and pants found on the racks contain harmful chemicals – some of which can cause breakouts and rashes. One primary health concern, allergic contact dermatitis, forms on one’s body when their skin comes in contact with harmful substances. Worse, it can have a delayed effect, and now researchers suggest that consumers wash all newly-purchased clothing before wearing. “What’s maddening for the consumer is that you buy a shirt that says ‘100% cotton,’ and yet you’re given no information about any of the chemicals or additives that have been used,” David Andrews, a senior scientist who has investigated chemicals in clothing with the Environmental Working Group, told TIME.
What ...
Targeting foods and drinks high in sugars, salt, and fats to Latinos and communities of color contributes to health inequity. To improve the nutritional quality of products that are directed toward and sold to Latinos and communities of color, advocates need to understand marketing strategies used by the food and beverage industry. A new series of four briefs from Berkeley Media Studies Group (BMSG), The 4 Ps of Marketing: Selling Junk Food to Communities of Color, explains how each marketing principle works and provides examples to illustrate how target marketing contributes to health inequities. For example, food and beverage companies use marketing tactics founded on the “marketing mix” principles of the 4 Ps—product, place, price, and promotion—to target Latino kids ...
Lung cancer deaths are a whopping 28% lower in California than the rest of the nation. This is likely due to the state's early adoption of tobacco control programs, which are associated with a "major reduction in cigarette smoking" among people younger than 35, according to a recent study by UC San Diego. What California laws are working and why? How can you mimic them in your area? Find out in ChangeLab Solutions's new guide book, "Tobacco Laws Affecting California." The book explains existing California laws related to tobacco use, sales, and marketing, and new efforts like San Francisco's ban on e-cigs. "(The decline in smoking in California) can only be attributed to the success of tobacco control in this state which has been so effective in convincing young people not to ...
If you drink a lot of sugary drinks, you may have a higher risk of getting cancer, says a new study. While it didn't find a direct causal link, the large French study does suggest that limiting sugary drinks could cut cancer cases, according a Reuters report. The study has big implications for Latinos, who drink more sugary drinks than their peers. “This study adds to the science suggesting that it’s a good idea to limit sweetened beverage consumption,” Colleen Doyle, a nutrition expert at the American Cancer Society, told Yahoo! News.
What Did the Study Find?
Researchers at the Université Sorbonne Paris Cité followed 100,000 adults for five years. They examined consumption levels of sugary drinks, including soda and fruit juice. They analyzed this and risk for ...
