Although bike lights, helmets, and reflective clothing are important, safe design of cycling facilities is paramount. According to an article published in the American Journal of Public Health, bicycle infrastructure can indeed help improve cycling safety and increase cycling levels, particularly when there is physical separation from fast-moving, high-volume motor vehicle traffic and better intersection design. "Traffic safety experts now use the term 'crashes' instead of 'accidents' to emphasize that the design of the transportation system contributes to most traffic fatalities and injuries," write John Pucher, Professor Emeritus, Urban Planning, Rutgers University and Ralph Buehler, Professor of Urban Affairs & Planning, Virginia Tech. Tell your community leaders and ...
Historically, people of color – including Latinos, have been more likely to live in high-poverty neighborhoods than whites of similar economic means. This is especially true in large, urban cities despite the recent report on the decline of poverty numbers in the U.S., Ars Technica reports. Latinos living in high-poverty neighborhoods generally have limited access to quality education, healthcare, adequate physical activity, and professional opportunities. A study recently published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, PNAS, compared census data from 1980 to 2010 to compare the decline of neighborhood segregation and racially linked poverty. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and ...
Hoping to get people to reduce their consumption of sugary beverages in Alton, Illinois, The Alton Memorial Hospital is asking all staff and patients to "Rethink Your Drink". The "Rethink Your Drink" is a national campaign that is remarketed by communities, schools, organizations and cities to help educated consumers of the added sugars in all drinks. Nurse champions within the hospital are now who are working as part of the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity (IAPO) with the mission of the campaign to lead people to better health by drinking less sugary sweetened beverages like sodas and educate residents to cut back on drinks that have 12 grams (3 teaspoons) or more of sugar per 12 fluid ounces. An AMH parish nurse, Eileen Cheatham has taken the educational display and ...
Within the Pasadena Unified School District (53.6% Latino students), students at Altadena's Franklin Elementary School celebrate their first harvest from their school garden, Fox Farm. According to Pasadena Now, Franklin Elementary School is considered one of the most underserved elementary schools in the District (72% Latino), where more than 40% are English learners, more than 80% of the students participate in free and reduce price lunch and are living in what is considered a "food desert", where healthy food is distant and junk food is plentiful. Unfortunately, studies show, Latino students often live in food deserts, see more junk food ads than their peers, and have less access to salad and fruit bars in their schools. However, now Franklin Elementary is enjoying the ...
According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a report from the JAMA Internal Medicine journal, more than 75% of all American adults today are either overweight or obese. For the first time in history, the number of obese people has surpassed that of the overweight, Wallethub reports. Wallethub studied new data published by the Physical Activity Council to compare the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., to determine which were the unhealthiest. Focusing on 17 indicators of weight-related health problems, including the percentage of adults that were overweight or obese and sugary-beverage consumption by adults. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, ...
The latest Open Enrollment phase for the Marketplace kicked off on November 1. It had been anticipated that many would take advantage of the period to sign up for health insurance. In weeks one and two of this year’s Open Enrollment, more than 1 million people signed up for coverage, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) report. This represents an increase of over 69,000 from last year’s Open Enrollment during the same time period. “We are all in for this Open Enrollment and excited that over 1 million people have already signed up for 2017 coverage through HealthCare.gov,” said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell in a statement. “The American people are demonstrating how much they continue to want and need the coverage the ...
Now that the city has approved a 1.5-cent-per-ounce soda tax and Mayor Kenny signed the bill in June the process to implement the tax is being revealed. According to NBC Philadelphia, city leaders unveiled a new website to help dealers and distributors understand how they may be impacted by the tax and to learn more about how the taxes work, registration will be available for all distributors online in November. If taxes are not paid on time, distributors can contact the Philadelphia Department of Revenue to discuss payment arrangements. The tax is scheduled to go into effect starting January 1, 2017, and taxes are due each month for the prior month's sales beginning February 20th, 2017. The estimated 90 million to be raised in funds are planned to be used for expanding ...
For many college students in the United States, hunger is a surprisingly common problem. Researchers from the University of Connecticut, College and University Food Bank Alliance, and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness surveyed nearly 3,800 students at eight community colleges and 26 four-year universities in 12 states and found startling results, HealthDay News reports. Among the students surveyed, 25% of those in community college and 20% at four-year schools reported frequently being food insecure. Researchers define being food insecure as lacking reliable access to sufficient amounts of affordable, nutritious food. Very low levels of food security qualified the students being surveyed as going “hungry.” When it comes to minority students, including ...
After many cities, including Cook County, Ill. have passed a sugary beverage tax, other cities are introducing the idea to their city council. Recently, Mayors Javier Gonzales proposed a tax sugary beverages as an "active way" to help fund and support early childhood education initiatives. However, according to the local Local News Santa Fe, New Mexican, the City Council has requested more information. The council is wary of the tax plan, where the Council's Finance Committee was concerned on how the public would just change their buy habits. The Council also commented on how the city's finances remain fragile, and how they do not see how the tax would generate the projected goal to collect around $10million a year for municipal grants to help fund pre-K programs. However, ...
