Search Results for "mental health"

Policy Intervention to Increase Physical Activity Among Early Childcare and Education Programs



About 60% of kids under the age of 6 are placed in some form of non-parental care-early childcare and education (ECE)-during the work week. Thus, these settings are promising environments to provide obesity-prevention resources and establish physical activity habits early in childhood, particularly for Latino kids who are at greater risk for obesity-related health problems than their white peers. In 2012, researchers in Wisconsin developed a year-long, quasi-experimental study to examine the efficacy of the Active Early guide, an 80-page guide developed by experts and statewide partners in the fields of ECE, public health, and physical activity, to improve physical activity opportunities in ECE settings using low- to no-cost strategies along with training and environmental ...

Read More

New Report: Latinos Age at Slower Rates



A new study published in Genome Biology found that despite significant health disparities, Latinos age at a slower rate than individuals of other ethnicities. Researchers used 18 sets of data from DNA samples of nearly 6,000 people that representing seven different ethnicities, including two African groups, African-Americans, Caucasians, East Asians, Latinos and an indigenous people genetically related to Latinos called the Tsimane. “Latinos live longer than Caucasians, despite experiencing higher rates of diabetes and other diseases,” Steve Horvath, lead author and professor of human genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, said in a news release. “Our study helps explain this by demonstrating that Latinos age more slowly at the ...

Read More

Student Mobility Affects Academic Performance



Being the new kid in school is always tough, especially when it happens in the middle of the school year. Finding new friends, adapting to new teachers and rules, adjusting to a new home, all are part of a difficult transition that many kids face. According to figures collected by the University of California, Santa Barbara, more than 6.5 million students nationwide are frequently the “new kid,” and it is frequently detrimental to their social and academic development. More and more studies are being done on student mobility and it suggests that this is a key indicator in identifying vulnerable students. Understanding this data can also ensure that they stay on a path toward academic achievement. “To be sure, multiple moves are a dangerous signal, but even one move ...

Read More

YMCA is Teaching Skills that Save Lives to 18,000 Kids in Underserved Neighborhoods


Swimming

Lack of diversity in USA Swimming's infrastructure became a hot topic in 2006, after Cullen Jones became the first African-American to hold a world record (4×100-meter freestyle relay) in swimming. Lack of diversity resurfaced this year at the Rio 2016 Olympics after Simone Manuel became the first ever African-American woman to win an individual Olympic Gold medal in swimming. A lack of minorities in competitive swimming is attached to deeper historical and generational roots - historically, segregation; generationally; fear, according to one source. Lack of pools in low-income, minority communities is part of the problem. For example, Minneapolis has one pool per 138,000 people compared to its wealthier twin city, St. Paul, which has one pool per 28,000 ...

Read More

EPA Unveils Plan to Bring Clean Energy to Low-Income Homes



Low-income families that are fortunate enough to find affordable housing, thus alleviating a potential financial and mental and physical stresses that can lead to long-term health problems. However, finding and maintaining a home is only part of the overall bigger picture. Energy costs also take up large amounts of low-income families’ expenses. A new plan from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could save low-income Latino families as much as $300 annually on utility bills. According to recent information from the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), families living in affordable housing tend to spend 30% of their overall income on housing costs. Latino families confront a variety of challenges when seeking out and gaining affordable housing, including discrimination, ...

Read More

#SaludTues Tweetchat 8/16/16: “Back to School and Get Moving”



Latino students engage in less physical activity in school than their peers, which contributes to less healthy weights and other poor health outcomes, research shows.  That’s why physical activity and play is critical as kids head back to class this month. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016 to tweet about the latest statistics, trends, and methods of getting students the physical activity and the social, emotional, and mental benefits of play that they need during the school day. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Back to School and Get Moving” TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludToday CO-HOSTS: Playworks (@Playworks) and the California Endowment (@CalEndow) SPECIAL ...

Read More

Brain Games Could Lower Alzheimer’s Risk


latina with grandfather

Alzheimer’s Disease, a type of dementia that causes “problems with memory, thinking and behavior” affects more Latinos than Whites and other ethnic groups, but according to researchers playing brain games may delay the development of this disease and dementia in healthy adults, NBC Health reports. The findings presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference showed that brain games cut the risk of dementia by up to 48% among healthy adults. “The new findings would be quite promising if they hold up through peer review and publication in a scientific journal,” Dr. John King, an expert in social research at the National Institute of Aging told NBC Health. What are some popular brain games? The most popular brain games in the market that offer a free ...

Read More

Infographics About Walking



Because walking has numerous health benefits, it shouldn't be so complicated to figure out where kids and families can walk safely and be physically active in nature. The following infographics (English and Spanish) from the National Recreation and Parks Association, EverybodyWalk, National Environmental Education Foundation, Active Living Research,and the Surgeon General demonstrate how powerful nature walks are to transform your health and why everyone deserves safe access to parks and places to walk. National Recreation and Parks Association - Safe Routes to Parks National Recreation and Parks Association - The Power of Parks EverybodyWalk - Anatomy of Walking EverybodyWalk - Health Benefits of Walking Health Benefits of Walking in Spanish National ...

Read More