The new 1.5-cent tax per ounce on sugary and diet beverages in Philadelphia is official, as Mayor Kenny signed the bill into action on Monday, June 20th at City Hall. The taxes will not include baby formula and beverages more than 50 % fresh fruit/vegetables or milk, or are considered "medical foods", but will include artificially sweetened waters and bottled coffees. The new tax is projected to raise over 90 million dollars a year to help expand the city's pre-k and improve health through community and school efforts. The next step is implementing the law with retailers and distributors in January and collecting taxes. Payments of the taxes from distributors to the city taxes will start in mid-February, reported Deputy Revenue Commissioner Marisa Waxman to The ...
The City Council of Stockton, California (32.5% Latino) has unanimously passed a new ordinance to reduce sugary beverage consumption among kids. The ordinance will require all restaurants in the city that offer kids meals to offer water and low-fat milk as the only default beverages. Cities across the country, in Davis, Calif, Philly, Illi., Denver, Colo., Virginia and more, are working on reducing sugary beverage consumption among kids and teens, as soda's and energy drinks with high sugar content have been shown to be the products that contribute most to added sugars in a child's daily diet. Research shows that about 74% of Latinos have had a sugary drink by age two. Having measures that reduce sugar consumptions at early ages of childhood, may help the healthy choice become ...
Currently at Bozeman High School in Bozeman, Montana, students are still able to reach for their favorite soda or sports drink at lunch. According to a local news article, earlier this year, the high school was selling 2,000 bottles of Gatorade a month. Now, healthier beverages and school food recommendations from the schools' 15-member Food Service and K-12 Nutrition Education commission will be heard on June 12th, 2016. Soda's and sugary beverages high in sugar and have been shown in studies to be linked to higher risks of tooth decay, diabetes and heart disease. The commission committee hopes to change the beverage options at lunch, to allow healthier carbonated waters and juices, but take out the soda and sports drink options from the high school's cafeteria and vending ...
Students in Virginia are weighing in on the impact of soda and sugary beverages through the local public health "Rev Your Bev" campaigns. The campaign that aims at fighting obesity in kids and teens, where, according to a local article, 30% of teens are either overweight or obese, and according to the state's campaigns site, 33% of 5-19-year-olds consume at least one sugary beverage a day. The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY) representatives have been visiting schools with the "Rev Your Bev" educational campaign informing students of the high amount of sugar in their favorite sugary drinks and having students taste test other healthier options, like infused waters. Even youth are getting in on the movement, where Virginia's largest youth-led movement, "Y-Street" ...
According to researchers from the American University in Washington, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) behaviors may be reduced with healthier living habits. Reducing screen time, drinking more water and making time for exercise were all recommendations by lead study author Kathleen Holton, who explained in a recent article that all kids who follow these healthy habits will benefit. Researchers studied and compared data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Sleep Foundation, recommending children to exercise at least one hour a day, no more than two hours of screen time and reducing the consumption of sugary beverages. Latino kids are more likely to drink sugary beverages than their white peers, having ...
SaludToday Guest Blogger
Susan Fisher-Owens, MD, MPH, FAAP, Campaign for Dental Health To eat healthy and nutritious foods, it helps to have healthy teeth! Did you know that your child’s doctor can help with that? Hispanic children have more tooth decay in their baby teeth and permanent teeth than white non-Hispanic children. And that decay is more likely to be more severe and to go untreated. The good news is that it’s easy to protect teeth. Fluoride, in the form of fluoridated toothpaste, fluoridated water and fluoride varnish, works to not only prevent dental caries, but even to reverse early signs of decay. Here is what you need to know. Fluoride varnish is a concentrated form of toothpaste that is brushed onto your child’s teeth by someone working in the ...
If you’re like millions of Latino families you’ll most likely be honoring those who served our country with a carne asada, pozole and other delicious, but not so healthy Latino dishes. According to the latest national health report card, Latinos continue to suffer from obesity in the U.S. Let’s do something different this year and celebrate Memorial Day the healthy way. Here are 3 ways to have a fun and healthy Memorial Day: Organize a futbol match in the park: There’s no better way to spend a beautiful day in the park than by playing a short soccer match with tios, tias and primos (as); it will not only be a perfect family bonding time, but it’ll help you burn a few calories. Walking challenge: Challenge your family members to go for a 1 or 2 mile walk! ...
Researchers at Purdue University have found evidence that diet soda may not be the healthiest option if you’re trying to lose weight or improve your health. According to numerous studies reviewed by the group of researchers led by Prof. Susan Swithers diet soda may not be the solution to fight obesity—in fact, it may lead to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. "The concern that these non-caloric sweeteners might not be healthy is a message that many people do not want to hear, especially as the prevalence of artificial sweeteners increases in other products," Swithers said. If you want to stay fit and healthy the best option will always be ...
Students across the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), participated in the Healthy Schools Campaign healthy cooking contests. Students were challenged to create a nutritious lunch that includes fresh fruit and vegetables, meets USDA nutrition guidelines, be under 760 calories and costs less than $1.70. The challenge allows students to win a chance to represent Los Angeles across the state and serve the model meal in an all-expenses paid Cooking up Change competition in the capitol. The winner could go on from there to serve the meal to congress and become a model meal for schools across the country. Having healthy options and creative ways to get kids involved in creating healthy meals is a innovative way to change school food environments. Studies show that when ...
