Latino parents have increased the amount of 100 percent fruit juice that they allow their children to consume, according to a recent study by the University of California at San Francisco. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that 100% fruit juice can provide the body with essential vitamins and minerals, but this should not be confused with fruit drinks that are often made with unhealthy amounts of added sugars and flavoring syrups. Additionally, if a child consumes more juice than recommended they could experience weight gain, cavities and tooth decay, and be at risk of type II diabetes. Infants and toddlers that get more than the recommended amounts of juice have additional risks of experiencing diaper rash and diarrhea. Fruit juice should not be used when ...
Growing your own food has grown in popularity over the last few years, according to the National Gardening Association who reveal in 2013 over 40 million households are active in some type of urban food gardening. Gardens help the mind and the heart with encouraging light-to- moderate physical activity with digging, planting, pulling and more. The mind can also benefit from gardening as one learns the nutritious benefits of fresh food, how to incorporate nutritious fresh vegetables into your diet and ways to garden to help to relieve stress and depression. Many farm-to-school programs incorporate educational lessons to help classrooms explore healthy habits, trying new foods, and learning what it takes to grow a plant from seed to harvest. Community gardens and school gardens ...
You don't need a college degree and you don't need to recite Lincoln's Gettysburg Address to initiate change in your community. YOU can make a difference in your community through both political and non-political processes. Follow the news. Learn about community issues. Discuss with friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Follow city leaders and elected officials on social media. Reach out to city leaders, elected officials, and other agencies/groups/organizations. Although people may approach issues from a different point of view, ultimately, people care deeply about health and equity. Register on our site to connect with people like you interested in starting or supporting healthy social, political, or environmental change in your community or school. YOU can impact social ...
A new report from the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics has found that nearly 25% of all Americans over the age of 65 have some form of disability. The forum found that nearly a quarter of all seniors say that they have at least one limitation in vision, hearing, mobility, communication, cognition or self-care. “Many Americans enjoy longer lives, though with some functional limitations,” according to a news release from the report’s authors. The findings mean that millions of American, more often spouses and/or children, are becoming caregivers for disabled aging family members. In most cases, according to the report, the burden is rarely excessive. “[About] 86 percent reported that informal caregiving gives them satisfaction that the care recipient is ...
According to an Active Living Research research brief, of the following two new studies shed light on how to make neighborhoods more physical activity-friendly for all people, regardless of income or race: Disparities in pedestrian streetscape environments by income and race/ethnicity
Socioeconomic and race/ethnic disparities in observed park quality Both studies found evidence of “disparities” (pedestrian features that were worse in low‐income and/or high‐minority neighborhoods) and “equitable differences” (pedestrian features that were worse in high‐income and/or mostly White neighborhoods). The different patterns found across regions suggest that local policies, practices, and funding priorities can be effective. Disparities in physical activity ...
Incubator grant opportunities are open for up to $30,000 dollars to support innovative advocacy approaches that align with Voices for Healthy Kids policy priorities. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the American Heart Association, and Voices for Healthy Kids are collaborating with a team of experts across healthy eating and active living with the initiative to mobilize people to help all children grow up to a be a healthy weight. Applications should align and support at least one Voices for Healthy Kids' policy priorities. The grants will be looking for innovative efforts in schools, communities and out-of-school time/early care and education and funds will be awarded 100% non-lobby funding. Deadline for the grant application submission is Thursday, August 18, 2016. Also, ...
Schools with more Latino students are more likely to have fast-food restaurants and tobacco retailers within “easy reach” of them, according to a new study. The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, analyzed more than 18,000 public schools and found that more than 50% of Latino-majority schools were within 800 meters of both tobacco and fast food outlets Only 21% of white-majority schools were. "Schools are places where we expect to be healthy, supportive environments for kids, but right outside the door (students) could be exposed to unhealthy influences," author Heather D’Angelo of Westat in Rockville, MD, said in a recent Reuters interview. "I was surprised that there were so many tobacco outlets near schools." In Latino neighborhoods in general, ...
Ten people drown each day in the United States. Seventy percent of African-American children, 60 percent of Latino children, and 40 percent of Caucasian children have low or no swimming ability, which increases their risk of drowning and drowning related injuries and shuts them off from numerous water activities that are associated with physiological, emotional, and behavioral development. Young children who swim reach key milestones earlier than their peers. Watch and share video. The USA Swimming Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, has provided more than $4 million in grants to Make a Splash Local Partners for free and low cost swimming lessons nationwide to spread national awareness and bring together strategic partners to end drowning. They announced ...
According to new research from the American Journal of Public Health, Latino majority schools are more likely to be located near fast food and tobacco outlets than their white peers. In fact, researchers found that every 10 percent increase in the proportion of a school’s Hispanic students was associated with a five percent higher likelihood the school was within walking distance of places to buy both tobacco and fast food, researchers told Reuters. According to researchers, this is the first study to consider the availability of fast food and tobacco in regards to students' socioeconomic and racial characteristics. They also found that lower income students had a three percent higher likelihood that the school was in walking distance to both fast food and tobacco. To ...
