People care deeply about health; however, with so many complicated messages from health experts and contradicting messages from food manufacturers, as well as lack of access to affordable healthy food, it can be very difficult for families to make truly healthy choices. Latinos, in particular, face additional barriers to access healthy food, thus face higher rates of obesity and related chronic diseases. The City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) launched a new ¡Viva Health! Eat well, feel great. Come bien, sientete bien. campaign in March 2017 to target the biggest public health threats of this generation—obesity and diabetes. Obesity is linked to numerous burdensome chronic diseases and diminished quality of life, and diabetes can lead to blindness, ...
Health advocates hoping to raise an estimated $28.4 million per year from a soda tax in Multnomah County are working to gather around 25,000 signatures to get the measure on the ballot. The tax would allow for an 18 cent tax for an average 12-ounce soda or 51 cents per liter of soda, with revenues helping to fund early childhood education, reading and literacy initiatives and school programs encouraging nutrition, physical education, school gardens and more. Health advocates like Michael Bloomberg are working together to get the initiative off the ground with seed funding. Also, the American Heart Association, who have helped pass similar policies across the nation have started a local advocacy group called,"Yes for Healthy Kids and Education Coalition" aiming to build support ...
Latinos in certain Chicago neighborhoods face worse physical and mental health and more food insecurity than nationwide, according to a new report, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. For the report, the Sinai Community Health Survey 2.0, researchers from the Sinai Urban Health Institute surveyed 1,900 residents in nine ethnically diverse Chicago neighborhoods, including Gage Park (92% Latino), Humboldt Park (89%) and South Lawndale (84%). Chicago is 29% Latino overall. “The data paint a stark and complex picture of health and wellness in many Chicago communities, varied by race, income and ethnicity,” said Dr. Sharon Homan, president of the Sinai Urban Health Institute, told the Sun-Times. “To develop meaningful interventions to improve health, we must first understand the ...
In Vhembe-Mutale school district, sugary drinks have been banned since the beginning of the school year. The change has been successful and popular according to Health24, as parents like Tambulani Mbedzi explained that her child was suffering from headaches and found out that it was due to drinking a lot of sugary drinks at school being sold by hawkers. Children would buy two or three bottles of sugary drinks at a lower price from these hawkers that were selling sugary drinks to kids at school. The deputy principal at the school, Rendani Nemufulwi complained that because of these hawkers, that would even try to sell to kids secretly, kids were drinking tons of sugary drinks at the school and were less inclined to eat nutritious foods. Parents are happy about the changes, ...
Latinos face many barriers to healthcare, and thus suffer high rates of diabetes, obesity, and cancer. That’s why community health workers are so vital. These workers, often called promotores de salud or educadoras in Latino communities, provide culturally tailored health education, social support, and connections to resources to help Latinos overcome cultural, language, and other barriers to mental and physical healthcare. We are happy to spotlight a few of these amazing Latino community health workers.
Mayola Cruz: Latino Bridge-Builder
Mayola Cruz says she loves to talk. So much so that the Craig, Colo., resident learned English to amplify her voice. Cruz now uses her conversational personality to help give voice to Latinos’ healthcare needs as a member of ...
Latinos face cultural and other barriers to healthy lifestyles. That’s why they suffer high rates of diabetes, obesity, certain cancers, and mental health issues. Community advocates are here to help! WATCH and VOTE for six new Salud America! #SaludHeroes of Community Health who work with Latino families and kids to push healthcare, stress relief, physical activity, water, and more. For voting, we’ll enter you into a drawing for a FREE T-shirt and jump rope! Gaby Medina: Water Promotora. Gaby pushes water over sugary drinks to Spanish-speaking Latino families, as part of a Colorado campaign. Baby Café: Breastfeeding Help. Diana Montano and others started a Baby Café with peer counselors to support breastfeeding moms in San Antonio. Felipe Pinzon: Aid for ...
The city can now move forward with the taxing of sugary beverages as a ruling on Monday dismissed the American Beverage Association and other Pennsylvania food and beverage associations lawsuit in "its entirety", meaning there is no going back after January first when the tax is scheduled to take effect. Signed by Mayor Jim Kenney, the 1.5 cents per ounce soda tax is estimated to generate around $91million dollars annually and is to be used to fund universal pre-k, support community schools, revitalize parks and fund police body cameras. Judge Glazer dismissed the ruling against the tax, stating that the tax does not violate the uniformity clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution nor does it conflict with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program as argued by opposers of the ...
Ever had a song stuck in your head before? Well if it's Minneapolis youth's "Grow Food" song, it may just help you think more about healthy food. Rapping to encourage people to grow healthy food, teens from Minneapolis with the non-profit Appetite For Change (AFC), have made veggies like broccoli into latest and greatest rap song of 2016, according to Vibe. After working in the summer of 2016 with AFC's Youth Employment & Training Program that also worked with Beats & Rhymes, youth in Northern Minneapolis were inspired to create the "Grow Food" song, which has garnered over 136,138 likes and counting. The catchy song that raps phrases like "pullin' veggies out the garden" and "drinking water living longer, no processed drama", inspires youth to change their unhealthy ...
In September, Gatorade announced its new line of organic sports drinks. The new beverage is said to have only seven ingredients (water, organic cane sugar, citric acid, organic natural flavors, sea salt, sodium citrate and potassium chloride). Yet, despite its use of organic sugar, it still contains an unhealthy amount of about 20 grams of sugar per 12-ounce bottle. Lindsay Moyer, a senior nutritionist with the Center for Science in Public Interest says, “G Organic is still a sugary drink-essentially, liquid candy-and organic sugar is no healthier than [regular] sugar. For most people the best ‘sports drink’ is water.” The organic label can be misleading to consumers because many think that organic is always healthier. Lisa Cimperman, a clinical dietitian and spokesperson ...
