The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded funds to 17 different universities and colleges working to develop and evaluate programs to prevent childhood obesity. Of the programs that have been selected to receive funding, several will target Latino children, who continue to be a high risk demographic for becoming overweight or obese. Some of the universities which will specifically target Latinos with their programs include the following: California State University: Will work to better understand ways to promote healthier eating behaviors through mindful eating among children & families in the Hispanic community. University of California: Will work to advance the fight against pediatric obesity by focusing on the expansion of both the traditional expanded food ...
In 2010, the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, convened and prepared an action plan that was presented to President Barack Obama. The report explains the childhood obesity epidemic and describes policy actions that can be undertaken to improve the health of children in communities throughout the U.S. the report is divided into five sections including: Early childhood health
Empowering parents and caregivers
Health food in schools
Access to healthy affordable food
Increasing Physical activity Access the full report ...
Senators and representatives in Idaho, a state with a quickly growing Latino community, are tracking their steps, water intake, and servings of fruits and vegetables as part of a month long, friendly competition aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and fighting childhood obesity. According to a Fox9 report 50 state legislators are taking part in a competition organized by health insurance provider Blue Cross of Idaho. At the end of the competition the three legislators who track the most physical activity and record eating more fruits and vegetables will win $5,000 from the Blue Cross of Idaho to go toward providing healthier options to elementary school children in their district. Funds will provide for outdoor exercise equipment, healthier meal options, and any other ...
Latino children are more obese/overweight than their white and black peers, and they face many barriers to healthy lifestyles, studies show. Who is stepping up for Latino kids? Salud America! The RWJF Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children this week received a one-year, $1.3 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to develop new evidence and educational content that empowers people to drive healthy policy changes for Latino children. The new funding allows Salud America! to expand its membership, which has recruited more than 10,000 parents, leaders, academics, and advocates. The network also will conduct research reviews and policy recommendations to guide anti-obesity efforts. It also will enhance its award-winning Salud America! ...
Spinach pancakes with homemade berry syrup? This is one of Febe Hernandez and her family's new favorite recipes thanks to the healthy lifestyle classes she's been attending at the Casa de Colores Headstart Center in Caldwell, Idaho. Children of migrant farmworkers living in Southern Idaho are now able to benefit from a new pilot program aimed at preventing childhood obesity among Latinos. The program, an initiative of the nonprofit Community Council of Idaho, was developed to teach parents important nutrition concepts, healthier ways of preparing food, and how to keep physically active. According to an Idaho Statesmen news article, the Community Council of Idaho recognized the need for such a program after realizing that over one-third of children in local head start centers ...
Despite signs of improvement in national childhood obesity rates, Latino youth as well as minority children of African-American, American Indian, and Asian & Pacific Islander American backgrounds are disproportionately impacted by high obesity rates. Many families still lack access to affordable, nutritious foods and safe opportunities to be active. To learn more about this topic and the changes needed to ensure healthier lives for all kids, tune in to the
Race & Ethnicity Matter--Understanding Childhood Obesity Through The Lens of Health Equity & Justice webinar. The webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, January 27, 2015, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET Experts on the panel will include: Maya Rockeymoore, PhD, Director, Leadership for Healthy ...
Want to learn more about how to advance policy changes for improving the health of children? Check out the new look of The Leadership for Healthy Communities (LHC) website which is aimed at providing the latest resources to do this. The new site is designed to be accessed by desktop computer, mobile phone, or a tablet and to provide web users with: The latest critical issues related to childhood obesity prevention;
A searchable database of valuable resources from LHC and partner organizations;
Profiles of policymaker leaders who are making a difference in their communities; and the
Ability to sign up for the LHC newsletter and connect via Twitter and Facebook. Along with the launch of the new website, the LHC has also released an animated video entitled Cause & ...
How can we all be a part of making 2015 great? According to New Jersey Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-20th) we can start by supporting efforts to improve child health and equipping underserved communities with the tools they need to live a happy and healthy lifestyle. In a recent op-ed piece, Quijano shared what many researchers and health care practitioners are already aware of---that many Latino and African Americans do not have easy access to healthy food. She discusses how more often than not communities that lack easy access to healthy food, called food deserts, struggle with an endless cycle of obesity. Along with the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables, many low-income Latino communities must deal with additional barriers such as a lack of safe transportation to ...
Although some communities have already seen obesity rates drop, many still lack access to healthy foods and safe places to play. This is especially true for rural communities, where obesity rates remain higher than in urban areas. To equip rural communities with the tools they need to fight childhood obesity, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Leadership for Healthy Communities has developed the Rural Childhood Obesity Prevention Toolkit. With this toolkit, readers can learn more about what puts rural youth at risk for becoming overweight or obese. The toolkit also provides insight into specific policy actions that can serve to improve active living and healthy eating in rural communities. The Rural Childhood Obesity Prevention Toolkit features two sections: Part 1: ...
