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Study: School Compliance with P.E. Policies Matters for Latino Children’s Fitness



Editor’s Note: This is a 20-part series featuring new research briefs on Latino childhood obesity, nutrition, physical activity and more by the 20 grantees of Salud America! Part 10 is Dr. Emma Sanchez. Find all briefs here. Dr. Emma Sanchez “The Role of Physical Education Policies in California” In her Salud America! pilot research project, Dr. Emma Sanchez of San Francisco State University used existing data to investigate whether school district compliance with California physical education (P.E.) requirements influences fitness among the state’s Latino children. Key preliminary findings include: most Latino students attended school in districts that did not comply with P.E. policies; compared with Latino children in non-policy compliant districts, those in ...

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New Spanish-Language Podcasts on Quitting Smoking, Autism, Healthcare and Asthma



The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Healthcare 411 audio news source provides practical health care information, research findings, and data in English and Spanish to help consumers, health providers, health insurers, researchers, and policymakers make informed decisions about health care issues. The site offers some brand-new Spanish-language podcasts on these topics: Consejos para dejar de fumar: Provides suggestions to help individuals break their smoking habit. Terapias para niños con trastornos del espectro autista: Discusses treatment options for children with autism Toma las riendas: Discusses how patients can increase their awareness about common healthcare issues Disparidades en el uso de medicamentos para el asma: Discusses the disparities of ...

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Telenovelas: Are Spanish-Language Soap Operas Good for Your Health?



The latest in Spanish-language soap operas, or telenovelas, are more than just about romance and personal scandal, they're debuting some very clear messages on health care for Latinos in the U.S., specifically Colorado, PBS Newshour reports. Read more about the new telenovelas here or watch this video. Watch Are Spanish-Language Soap Operas Good for Your Health? on PBS. See more from PBS ...

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Study: Doctors Give Less Attention to Latino Children Who Are Overweight But Not Obese



Editor’s Note: This is a 20-part series featuring new research briefs on Latino childhood obesity, nutrition, physical activity and more by the 20 grantees of Salud America! Part 9 is Dr. Javier Rosado. Find all briefs here. Dr. Javier Rosado “Paying Attention to Children’s Weight in Pediatric Primary Care” In his Salud America! pilot research project, Dr. Javier Rosado of Florida State University assessed how much weight-related medical attention children get during well-child checkups at a pediatric community health center in a rural, largely Latino migrant farm-worker community in Florida. Key preliminary findings include: some parents are not concerned about their child’s weight; obesity among girls raised the highest concern. The child’s gender also ...

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Apply for Next Class of ‘School Food Changemakers’



FoodCorps, a national organization that addresses childhood obesity and food insecurity in underserved communities, recently opened applications for its second annual class of service members. Selected emerging leaders will dedicate one year of full-time public service in school food systems—expanding hands-on nutrition education programs, building and tending school gardens, and sourcing fresh, healthy, local food for school cafeterias. In its first year, FoodCorps gained national attention by attracting 1,229 applicants for just 50 positions. The first class of service members have already made a difference in their local schools—from getting hundreds of pounds of local sweet potatoes onto cafeteria trays, to revitalizing and building 137 school and community gardens, to ...

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Study: Mother-Daughter Exercise Program Improves Latina Girls’ Activity, Weight



Editor’s Note: This is a 20-part series featuring new research briefs on Latino childhood obesity, nutrition, physical activity and more by the 20 grantees of Salud America! Part 8 is Dr. Norma Olvera. Find all briefs here. Dr. Norma Olvera “Combating Obesity and Inactivity in Latina Girls” In her Salud America! pilot research project, Dr. Norma Olvera of the University of Houston assessed the immediate and long-term impact of a program—Behavior Opportunities Uniting in Nutrition, Counseling, and Exercise (BOUNCE)—on indicators of obesity. Mother-daughter pairs enrolled in BOUNCE participated in a four-week healthy lifestyle summer program, followed by a 12-week, family-based aerobic program. Key preliminary findings include: a family-centered exercise ...

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Study: Fewer Than Half of Latino Families Eat Meals Together Every Day



Editor’s Note: This is a 20-part series featuring new research briefs on Latino childhood obesity, nutrition, physical activity and more by the 20 grantees of Salud America! Part 7 is Dr. Angela Wiley. Find all briefs here. Dr. Angela Wiley “Abriendo Caminos (Clearing the Path)” In her Salud America! pilot research project, Dr. Angela Wiley of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign took a family-based approach—accounting for developmental patterns of behavior and practices in early mealtime experiences—to prevent childhood obesity and promote wellbeing among Spanish-speaking families in Illinois. The 6-week curriculum actively involves Latino families in food preparation, shared physical activity, and shared mealtimes featuring family storytelling and ...

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Study: Community Gardens Boost Latino Child Health, Save Families Money



Editor’s Note: This is a 20-part series featuring new research briefs on Latino childhood obesity, nutrition, physical activity and more by the 20 grantees of Salud America! Part 6 is Dr. Dina Castro. Find all briefs here. Dr. Dina Castro “Growing Healthy Kids: How Community Gardens Can Increase Latino Child Health” In her Salud America! pilot research project, Dr. Dina Castro of the University of North Carolina used community gardens and parental nutrition education and activities to promote healthy eating and physical activity among lower-income Latino families who have young children. The project established three community gardens in Orange County, N.C. Key preliminary findings include: children had access to more fruits and vegetables after their families ...

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New Project to Offer Cancer Screening to Underserved Latinos in San Antonio



Two University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio researchers today were awarded a total of $4.7 million by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). These awards for cancer prevention, along with $2.9 million to University Health System, make San Antonio the largest recipient of funds in this CPRIT funding cycle—28% the $26.3 million awarded. Dr. Cynthia Mojica, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center, will use a $2 million award to partner with federally qualified health center CentroMed and community organizations to offer breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening to San Antonio residents otherwise unable to afford them. “This grant allows us to ...

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