Most Americans are still not aware of the many serious health consequences associated with being obese. Additionally, misconceptions about what healthy weight and obesity look like further complicates adults' and parents' ability to correctly identify weight status, thus they are unable to correctly identify their and their children's risk for life-long health complications. According to the Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) 2012 report, "obese people are far more likely to develop chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, heart disease and cancer. Obese children are more likely to have one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease, to be prediabetic (i.e., at high risk for developing diabetes), and to suffer from bone ...
Research has proven numerous times that breastfeeding reduces obesity, helps babies fight infections, and lowers the risk of asthma. According to new research, children that were breastfed also behave better in school, Time Live reports. Researchers from Glasgow University conducted the study among 1,500 children from South Africa between the ages of 7 and 11 and concluded that those who drank breast milk for six months or more had an easier time behaving in school than those who were breastfed for less than a month. “The duration of exclusive breastfeeding of an infant has greater importance than previously realized in several areas of development," Tamsen Rochat of the Human Science Research Council in Durban told Time Live. Learn more about breastfeeding and Latinos ...
A new study published by the International Journal for Equity in Health reported on the still-existing gap among the children of Latino parents. According to the findings, reported by The Washington Post, nearly 50% reported not realizing they were eligible for free or low-cost health insurance. This often forced families to make the decision of paying for health care or going without. The study was conducted in Dallas, Tex. (41.7% Latino population) from 2011-2014. During the study, 49% of the parents were unaware that their children were eligible for Medicaid or CHIP; 57% of these were Latino parents. “It tells us that this system is not designed to keep kids on insurance,” says Glenn Flores, a health-policy researcher and pediatrician at Medical Research Institute and the ...
Alena Clark and Yvette Lucero-Nguyen worried that their University of Northern Colorado campus wasn’t breastfeeding-friendly for employees or students. So they worked with faculty, staff, and students to increase awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding. They coordinated with different departments on campus to establish three Lactation Stations to provide breastfeeding parents a private, comfortable place to express breast milk or breastfeed. They also drafted an institution-wide written policy for breastfeeding support to protect employees and students.
University Employees and Students Without Breastfeeding Privacy
In spring 2011, Alena Clark, Nutrition and Dietetics Associate Professor at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), where about 18% of undergraduates ...
BooneOakley, an ad agency in Charlotte, N.C., created a campaign promote breastfeeding that provides "100% Natural," "Locally Grown," and "Guaranteed Fresh" stickers as well as posters of women donning the stickers to any "baby-friendly" hospital. The stickers come with three different health messages: Reduces the risk of obesity by 24%
Reduces the risk of SIDS by 36%
Reduces the risk of asthma by 24% The idea is that "100% Natural" stickers reminds mothers that the best nutrition for their baby is breast milk. The stickers can also help nursing mothers keep track of which breast to feed their baby from next. The first hospital to use the stickers and posters is the Women and Babies Hospital in Lancaster, PA. Normalizing breastfeeding and encouraging nursing mothers ...
"More than 40% of Latino children in the U.S. are growing up overweight, that's almost half of all Latino kids in the country, those kids are at risk of developing serious health problems like asthma, diabetes and heart disease," said Marissa Ortega-Welch of Latino USA on a recent radio show. In the mainly Latino populated school districts of Oakland, Cali. schools are taking healthier school foods a step further, banning junk food from school property. Most schools across the U.S. are working on implementing the standards of healthier school lunches but many kids and or parents still opt for lunches from home, allowing junk food to be a part of school's food environments. In Esperanza Elementary (98% Latino) most of the school kids are under the free and reduced lunches, so ...
Health disparities continue to plague Latinos, who often lag in many key health equity issues. Many organizations are taking aim to reduce these disparities. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released an update to their CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report that highlights U.S. programs that help reduce health disparities through “meaningful community and local health authority involvement” among different groups, including Latinos. “Reducing and eliminating health disparities is fundamental to building a healthier nation,” said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden. “With science-based and effective interventions, we can close health disparity gaps in America.” Eight programs were highlighted in the CDC’s supplement; they ...
A new guide by ChangeLab Solutions can help local jurisdictions design a code enforcement program to help create and maintain health housing. Good quality housing is central to the health of individuals, families, and communities. When housing falls into poor conditions or disrepair due to pest infestation, moisture damage, hazardous chemicals, or inadequate ventilation, its residents tend to have poor health. Unhealthy homes have been linked to 20-30% of all asthma cases, over 20,000 lung cancer deaths, and a host of preventable fatal and nonfatal home injuries. Without proper maintenance, homes can become unhealthy and dangerous. Strong housing codes, well-trained enforcement officers, and municipal cooperation are necessary to protect residents. Property owners and community ...
This is part of our Latina Mom and Baby Health: A Research Review »
Introduction
In the United States, obesity continues to be a nationwide problem, where Latino children and adolescents are particularly at risk. According to a recent estimate, nearly 40 percent of U.S. Latino youths ages 2-19 are overweight or obese, compared with only 28.5 percent of non-Latino white youths.1 Furthermore, the percentage of those who are overweight or obese between ages 2-5 is nearly 30 percent for Latino children compared with only 21 percent of non-Latino white children.1 The high prevalence of obesity among Latino children and adolescents is of great concern due to the numerous adverse physical and mental health issues related to obesity, such as cardiovascular disease, asthma, type 2 diabetes, ...
