The latest annual report on the nation’s health by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows Latinos are living longer than whites and blacks and health disparities are narrowing. Despite the latest improvements in health disparities, Latinos still have the highest incidence of high blood pressure and childhood obesity, The American Heart Association News (AHA) reports. “High blood pressure remains much more common among black Americans, and Hispanic children and teens are still more likely to be obese than their black, white and Asian counterparts.,” AHA said in a written statement. The CDC’s annual health report is a “snapshot” of the nation’s health “highlighting recent successes and challenges in fighting critical health problems in the United ...
A new coalition has joined together as the Healthy Boulder Kids, aimed to help advocate healthier changes for kids in the state to have equal access to healthy foods and opportunities for activity. The group also is aiming to help prevent childhood health risks like diabetes and obesity and is submitting language for an excise tax on distributors of 2 cents per ounce on sugary drinks that contain at least 5 grams of sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or other added sweeteners per 12 fluid ounces. The measure would provide funding for programs that give greater access and opportunity for healthy foods and exercise for families and children living in Boulder. It would also not tax 100 percent fruit juice, vegetable juices (with no added sweeteners), milk products, liquid medicines, ...
Members of Minnesotans for Healthy Kids Coalition, a statewide coalition of around 25 organizations that work on policies to help address childhood obesity, gathered together in March to purpose a healthy food access bill for the many people who are facing little to no healthy food access in Minnesota. According to a 2011 project from the Trust for American's Health and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, 14 percent of children ages 10 to 17 were obese in Minn. The coalition talked with several steak holders about what should be included in a bill for healthy food access for Minn. and many wanted the Dept. of agriculture to house the loans, technical assistance and felt the state could house the program with ten million dollars a year, in the form of loans grants or technical ...
According to the U.S. Military Processing Exam, 62,000 new recruits to the military were turned away in joining the military due to their weight. Juan Cardenas, a member of the Marine Corps junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) at Northridge High School, offered fellow students a presentation on healthier foods, nutrition, calories, and label reading. Sixteen year old Cardenas said in a local article, that he wasn't always the strongest and fastest kid, but was always the bigger kid, but now he is the kid that can "hold his own" and compete. Cardenas knows that eating healthy and exercising has helped him and hopes to show that to his peers. Latino kids are at higher risks for diet-related dieseases like obesity and diabetes, and according to the the local article, ...
A new study by The Endocrine Society has found that BMI measurements above the 85th percentile at six, twelve or eighteen months is a strong predictor of severe obesity by age six in a child's life. The study looked at nearly 4,000 children determining their body mass index (BMI), and found that high BMI's measured between six and eighteen months of age accurately predicted which infants were more prone to have early-childhood obesity. A portion of the children, 2, 649 were from a highly Latino population from Aurora, Colo., which had an increased chance of severe obesity at age 6 by threefold to nine-fold. Latino kids are more likely to be at risk for diet related diseases like diabetes and obesity, studies show. It is recommended by the researchers of this group that ...
We’re excited to announce that two organizations, Salud America! and The San Antonio Report (formerly the Rivard Report), are partnering to highlight challenges and solutions to health and obesity. The Rivard Report is a non-profit online news source in San Antonio that tackles city issues and spotlights innovative solutions. Salud America! is a national health communication program. For the partnership, Salud America! will make monthly article contributions to The Rivard Report on new ways to address the rising epidemic of obesity plaguing San Antonio. San Antonio is a historic, culturally rich, and diverse (63.2% Latino) city. But it also is currently ranked 8th in the nation for obesity. Obesity leads to numerous challenges that the city must face, such as increased ...
Obesity, cancer, and other health issues were increasing in the northern Colorado city of Fort Collins (11.43% Latino). In response, a community leadership group called Vida Sana formed to find ways to alleviate these issues and support residents. Dierdre Sullivan, a founding member of Vida Sana, soon recognized the best way to boost health was to use promotoras (community health workers) to teach residents how to help themselves.
People struggle with health issues in Colorado
Dierdre Sullivan, an activist in Fort Collins, Colo., has witnessed the local Latino population grow rapidly by 52% from 2000 to 2010. Sullivan said health issues increased rapidly, too. Many people here live in poverty. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, mental health, and other health issues related to ...
Gaby Medina, a mom and health educator in the neighborhood of Westwood, in Denver, Colo. (79.36% Latino), didn’t have a lot of faith in the safety of local tap water when she arrived here from Mexico. Much of Denver's foreign-born population similarly distrust the safety of tap water. However, Gaby eventually learned to trust the water. She then took a big step to make sure her family, friends, and fellow residents across the community understand that tap water is far safer, healthier, and more affordable than sugary drinks.
Is tap water safe? Gabriela “Gaby” Medina is your average mom who wants to help her 10-year-old daughter and her family live happy, healthy lives. In Mexico, tap water is not always safe to drink. “Initially, yes, I was hesitant [about ...
Nicolas Rivard and Allison Hu, urban designers in San Antonio and members of Dignowity Hill Neighborhood Association, learned about an upcoming street construction project that lacks walkable streetscape elements in their neighborhood. They saw this an an opportunity. The urban designers mobilized community members to get involved and request walkable streetscape elements, and the city responded by adding street trees, separated sidewalks, and landscaping. Today, through their recent project, Place Changing, the designers use “participatory design” processes to build planning literacy and equip residents with strategies to continue to get involved in city planning and development projects.
Walkability Low in East San Antonio Neighborhood
Nicolas Rivard and Allison Hu, urban ...
