Research shows that children who consume too many sugary drinks risk developing diseases related to unhealthy weight. Latino children, because they tend to consume more sugary drinks than their peers, are at an even higher risk. Health leaders, school officials, and parents in one Latino community in California worked to create a policy to bump sugary drinks out of early-childcare centers and help kids fall in love with water at a young age.
EMERGENCE
Awareness: More than 44% of children overall in Madera County, Calif., are overweight or obese, and Latino children have even higher rates. Public health groups across California are recognizing these issues and working to reduce them. CA4Health, directed by the Public Health Institute (PHI) in California, is a statewide healthy-living ...
After years of trying to land a new park, residents of Earlimart, Calif., can now celebrate the success of a shared use agreement and soon-to-be-built 4-acre park. Residents living in the small rural community of Earlimart, Calif., lacked outdoor spaces for the physical activity they needed to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles and weights. The Earlimart School District’s superintendent responded to this need by trying an experiment. She had the custodial staff at one school leave the school gate open. Word got around that the school’s gate had been left open—soon the school’s field was filled with local residents. This experiment ultimately led to a change in the school district’s policy, which allows Tulare county residents from non-affiliated groups to use the school ...
ESPN takes a look at the demographics--age, race/ethnicity, and household income--of youth participating in organized sports. The article notes that while there are close to 39.82 million children ages 8-17 in the US, that only 28.7 million play some form of organized sports. The author also points out that while organized youth sports may produce close to $5 billion in revenues, that limited data exists on the total number of kids that participate in team sports. Some interesting findings from the article include: Kids who play sports usually start at a young age (between ages 6-9)
Hispanic children begin sports at a mean age of 8.2 years (later than Caucasian and African American children)
Household income greatly determines how early a child starts playing sports
Children ...
Diabetes and obesity are the two most significant health threats in South Texas, according to a new report published online in Springer Open Books by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) in the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The South Texas Health Status Review, originally self-published in 2008, was updated this year to study more than 35 health conditions and risk factors and how people in South Texas may be differently affected than those in the rest of Texas or nation. The Review, in addition to singling out diabetes and obesity, also indicates that the South Texas region faces higher rates than the rest of Texas or nation for: Cervical, liver, stomach and gallbladder cancers
Child and adolescent ...
In most communities, convenience stores are a common part of the retail landscape – and in many areas, both urban and rural, these stores are the only nearby places to buy food. Can you think of one in your area? What if they served more than just chips, candy, and soda? "Health on a Shelf", ChangeLab Solutions' guide to healthy small food retailer certification programs, is an extensive toolkit that takes folks through the process of creating and sustaining a healthy small food retailer program. By establishing a healthy small food retailer program, government agencies and community-based organizations can support and give incentives to food retailers (including corner stores, bodegas, and rural markets) that are willing to sell healthy foods. Programs offer a range of ...
California certified farmers’ markets and farm stands can help bring fresh fruits and vegetables directly to the communities that need them most. It can be difficult—if not impossible—to find fresh, affordable healthy food in many urban and rural low-income communities. These fact sheets from ChangeLab Solutions explain how state law works to encourage more farmers’ markets, farm stands, and community supported agriculture (CSA) programs, where farmers can sell their produce directly to ...
According to this October 2012 article, from Safe Routes to School in California, a new law (AB 1915) will help improve infrastructure and programs to increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety in underserved areas of California. The state policy introduced by Sen. Luis Alejo (D- California) allocates up to 10% of Safe Routes to School program funds towards infrastructure improvements, for school bus stops outside the vicinity of school. The bill serves as an act to amend Section 2333.5 of the Streets and Highways Code, for the state of California relating to transportation, and allows for more flexibility in how funds are spent. The article also cites the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health finding, that children in rural areas had a greater chance (42%) of being overweight or ...
Alice Independent School District (Alice ISD) entered into a joint use agreement with Migrant Health Promotion Inc. on November 26, 2012. The joint use agreement will keep tracks, playgrounds, and walking trails open to the public over the next five years. Through the Transforming Texas initiative, Migrant Health Promotion Inc. was charged with creating physical activity opportunities for the residents of Jim Wells County. Program coordinator for the Transforming Texas initiative, Robert De Leon believes that this shared use agreement will serve to provide recreational facilities to those living in the rural community of Jim Wells County. De Leon also believes that this joint use agreement will guide local policy makers in understanding how environmental changes can impact a person's ...
In the Latino-majority and rural region of Paso Del Norte, which encompasses southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, many families struggling to make ends meet and easy access to affordable healthy foods is lacking. A band of food justice activists were tired of watching the region’s youth grow up without a sense of connection to their land, bodies, and heritage. La Semilla Food Center was born out of this frustration, their mission being to build a healthy, self-reliant, fair, and sustainable food system in Paso Del Norte. La Semilla established its Youth Food Policy Council (YFPC) to build awareness around food issues and create healthier changes in communities. By the end of the first YFPC, 10 youth had been totally immersed in the food system, learning how polices big and small ...
