News
May 8, 2013 One Sugar-Sweetened Soda a Day Boosts Diabetes Risk
By Alexandra Sifferlin. All it takes is one can of soda to increase risk of type 2 diabetes by 22 percent, according to a new study. In the study published in Diabetologia, researchers studied diet and drinking habits of about 28,500 people from Britain, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Sweden, France, Italy, and the Netherlands over a period of 15 years. Those who consumed a 12-ounce serving of a sugared-beverage on average daily — about the size of a soda can — had a greater risk of developing diabetes compared to people who drank a can once a month or less. Read more here.
Don’t promise your child that if only he lost weight, he wouldn’t be bullied or teased. A study published in the journal Obesity by researchers at the University of Hawaii showed that stigma around obesity often persists even after someone loses weight. See http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/09/feeling-bullied-by-parents-about-weight/ and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22395810
May 6, 2013 LIteracy Promotion from the American Academy of Pediatrics
This Toolkit provides useful resources to impact receptive and expressive language development by introducing a variety of strategies and tools to support pediatricians in promoting their patients' development and future school success.
February 4, 2013 Australian Study Highlights Links Between Soft Drinks, Caries
Researchers from the University of Adelaide say any health warnings about soft drinks should include the risk of tooth decay, following a new study that looks at the consumption of sweet drinks and fluoridated water by Australian children (American Journal of Public Health, January 17, 2013).
Here are some of the study's findings:
56% of Australian children ages 5 to 16 years consumed at least one sugared drink per day.
13% of children consumed three or more sugared drinks on average per day.
Boys consume more sweet drinks than girls.
Children from the lowest income families consumed almost 60% more sugared drinks.
The number of decayed, missing, and filled deciduous (or baby) teeth was 46% higher among children who consumed three or more sweet drinks per day, compared with children who did not consume sweet drinks.
To see the full article, click here.
January 31, 2013 NVivo Webinar: Using NVivo as a Research Tool
Date: Thursday, February 7
Time: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. HST
Registration Link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/141903210
After you register an email will be sent to you with instructions on how to join.
What you will learn:
An overview of the key features of NVivo software
How NVivo supports qualitative and mixed methods researchUsing NVivo for writing robust literature reviewsNVivo for grant writing and research proposal development, data management and analysis, and manuscript preparationHow NVivo provides a platform to collaborate with colleagues or your research team in real time
Using real data from a Duke University study of the impact of coastal environmental change on residents’ lives. We will demonstrate how NVivo software works with different types of data such as interviews, focus groups, video, surveys, and social media.
The webinar is planned as an interactive session, comments and questions are welcomed.
Monday Noon Conference, Monday January 7, 2013
CME Talk by May Okihiro, MD, MS Community Pediatrics, WCCHC, Assistant Professor, JABSOM, Director, Hawaii Initiative for Childhood Obesity Research and Education
12:30 - 1:30 pm, Auditorium Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children
Decmber 8, 2012 Which Group of Asian-American Children Is at Highest Risk for Obesity?
Asian-American children have been at low risk for being overweight or obese compared to other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., but that may be changing. Yet as rates of overweight and obesity rise, the risk appears to vary depending on the Asian country of origin, according to an article in Childhood Obesity, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Childhood Obesity website.
When the children were divided into groups based on the mother’s ethnicity, the study authors, Anjali Jain, MD et al. from The Lewin Group (Falls Church, VA), Children’s National Medical Center, George Washington University School of Health and Health Sciences, Georgetown University (Washington, DC), and Medical College of Virginia (Richmond), found that while Chinese-American children were at lower risk of overweight or obesity (23.5%) than Whites (36%), Asian-Indian American children had the lowest rates (15.6%) and were the most likely to be underweight. In contrast, Vietnamese-American children had the highest rate of overweight or obesity (34.7%).
“To some extent, this important article highlights variable vulnerability to childhood obesity, based on ethnicity and culture. But what may be most important is the message that groups we long thought of as relatively immune no longer are,” says David L. Katz, MD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief of Childhood Obesity and Director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center.
Novmeber 16, 2012 Graduate Course in Child and Adolescent Nutrition for Spring 2013
This 1-credit graduate-level course covers child and adolescent nutrition with a focus on current research in Hawaii. Emphasis will be placed on improving students' ability to understand and critique scientific articles focused on these populations. Click here for course flyer.
November 15, 2012 The American Diabetes Association’s 2ND Annual“Diabetes Is...”
Student Video/PSA Contest
The “Diabetes is.......” Video Contest is open to all students (6th through 12th grade) in any accredited public, private, and home school in the State of Hawaii. Students will need to submit a 30 second video that increases Diabetes awareness and prevention. Diabetes Sample Public Service Announcements (PSAs) can be found on www.youtube.com/ADAHawaii. Click here for flyer.
November 13, 2012 "A Tale of Turkey Tail: The part of the bird that's best left uneaten."
Most Americans will eat Turkey this coming Thanksgiving, but few will eat all of the Turkey. Pacific Islanders in particular eat an unusual Turkey-part, the tail. Although cheap and delicious, it comes with unhealthy costs. Turkey tails are high in fat and cholesterol. "In the Pacific Islander Health Study that Panapasa recently conducted with colleagues from the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR) and Harvard University School of Public Health (SPH), she found that more than 80 percent of the Samoan and Tongan adults were overweight or obese."
For more information about the Pacific Islander Health Study, visit http://projects.isr.umich.edu/nhpi/index.html.
November 2, 2012 Call For Papers: Speical Issue on Childhood Obesity
Games for Health Journal: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications is now soliciting manuscripts for a special issue on childhood obesity scheduled to be published in 2013.
The Journal will accept manuscripts on virtually any research topic that involves using a videogame related to any aspect of childhood obesity including specific age, economic, and ethnic groups; comparison of the effectiveness of two or more games; comparison of videogame activities to either non-activity or traditional non-videogame activities; games and nutrition; videogames and behavior modification; and so on. The deadline for manuscript submission: January 31, 2013
For manuscript submission guidelines and further information about the Journal, visit the Games for Health Journal website.
October 17, 2012 Basic Biostatistics Workshop (Online Course) October 25 & October 26
Basic Biostatistics Workshop (Online Course) – presented by Dongmei Li, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics, Office of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii. Individuals from community agencies and organizations who are interested in learning basic concepts in research design, methodology and data analysis are encouraged to attend. This 2-day workshop will be offered as an online course with course materials available via the University of Hawaii Laulima site and live instruction via Blackboard Collaborate. The workshop is sponsored by the RMATRIX Community Based Research Training Advisory Program. The workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
For more information and to register, click here.
October 15, 2012 Grant Writing Workshops October 17 & October 18, 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a. m.
Grant Writing Workshop (Webinar)- presented by Dr. Donna Vogel, Director of Professional Development Office, John Hopkins University. This two-hour workshop will focus on the anatomy and physiology of the parts of the NIH-style application with particular attention to the R- and K-type proposals. A breif discussion of the electronic submission process will be included. The webinar will be offered via Adobe Connect through the Department of Neurology at John Hopkins University:
§ October 17, 2012: https://connect.johnshopkins.edu/grants2012
§ October 18, 2012: https://connect.johnshopkins.edu/grants201b
For more information, click here.
October 09, 2012 Update on Migrant Populations from the Federated States of Micronesia
The FSM Office of Statistics, Budget & Economic Management, Overseas Development Assistance and Compact Management (SBOC) has released the final report on the recently concluded Survey of FSM Migrants in the US including Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
In March 2012, the Office of SBOC obtained the services of two consultants, Fr. Francis X. Hezel, SJ, and Michael J. Levin, PhD, to conduct a scientific random sampling of emigrant Micronesian households in Guam, the CNMI, Hawaii and various mainland United States cities and regions. The survey was designed to gauge the economic wellbeing of the emigrant households, the degree to which they depend on US federal and/or local State government support and their contributions to their local communities as well as to their home islands in the FSM.
Go to http://www.sboc.fm/ for more information.
August 14, 2012 HRSA/NIH Call for Papers - Advancing Obesity Prevention: Quality Improvements, Emerging Models and Best Practices
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health (NIMHD/NIH) are pleased to announce a call for papers for a special theme issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved (JHCPU).
Specifically, the intent is to address the following questions:
• What evidence-based interventions or promising practices in obesity prevention yield improved, sustainable outcomes across US populations, particularly within populations at disproportionate risk for obesity and related co-morbidities? Of specific interest are efforts that target urban, rural, and low-income populations, ethnic and racial minorities, and children.
• How can primary care, public health, and community organizations effectively integrate to address obesity prevention? Innovative approaches that demonstrate integration of evidence- based programs and best practices are encouraged.
• What approaches have the potential to translate and disseminate obesity research/interventions into widespread and sustainable practice and policy? Approaches at the community level are of particular interest (e.g., community-based participatory research [CBPR]).
• How can the application of quality improvement and collaborative models accelerate change and achieve measurable improvements in obesity prevention?
Submission, Review Process, and Timeline
Manuscripts should be submitted as an attachment to jhcpusupplement@hrsa.gov by September 21, 2012. Authors should also include the following information in the email:
• Contact author’s name, affiliation, email address
• Manuscript title
• Type of manuscript (original paper, brief report, commentary, etc.);
• Abstract
• Explanation of how the manuscript fits the purposes of the special issue
Manuscripts will be reviewed by NIH/HRSA guest editors and selected authors will be notified by October 5, 2012 as to whether or not his/her submission has been selected to undergo peer review by the JHCPU. Authors will then be asked to submit selected manuscripts directly to JHCPU no later than October 12, 2012 using the Journal's online submission system.
Please visit JHCPU author guidelines for additional information on types of manuscripts accepted by the JHCPU, as well as for logistics on the JHCPU submissions process if an author’s submitted manuscript is selected for the special theme issue.
The publication date for this special theme issue is May 2013.
For additional information or questions, please contact Guest Editor at jhcpusupplement@hrsa.gov
August 01, 2012 Reminder: Grant Writing for Community Research Projects August 9 & 13
Grant Writing for Community Research Projects - presented by Dr. Jillian Inouye, Professor of Nursing, and Dr. Kathryn Braun, Professor of Public Health and Social Work. Individuals who are interested in writing grants for community-based research projects are encouraged to attend. This 2-day workshop is sponsored by the RMATRIX Community Based Research Training Advisory Program. August 9, 2012 (Thursday) and August 13, 2012 (Monday), 8:00am-4:30pm, JABSOM MEB 314. For more information, go to http://rmatrix2.jabsom.hawaii.edu/cbrtap/2012-08-09.html.
July 01, 2012 AJPM Childhood Obesity Challenge - Seeking Solutions for Healthier Kids
The need for new approaches to control and prevent obesity is clear. The challenge of childhood obesity is particularly daunting, with far-reaching and long-term adverse health consequences not only for the US, but worldwide. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine is meeting that challenge with a Challenge of our own. Together with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, we introduce the Childhood Obesity Challenge -- an online competition for innovators of all backgrounds to submit promising solutions to childhood obesity. The need for new approaches to control and prevent obesity is clear.
Now, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine is working with the Foundation’s Pioneer Portfolio to complement those efforts, with our own Challenge. Winning proposals, selected by an expert judging panel, will be published by AJPM and will receive a cash prize. For more information, go to http://ajpmchallenge.calit2.net/.
May 29, 2012 The Weight of the Nation Special Screening - Thursday June 7
The Weight of the Nation™ documentary is part of a public education initiative addressing the national obesity epidemic and proposing solutions that communities can put into practice. A special screening is being held at the Hope Chapel West Oahu (94-877 Lumiaina St. Bldg 12, Waipahu, HI). RSVP by June 4th at kphi.eventbrite.com. Call Tammy Chun for more information, at 808-432-5333 X1038.
May 18, 2012 JABFM Call For Papers "Communities of Solution"
The JABFM announces a call for papers for a theme issue on “Communities of Solution”. The deadline is September 1, 2012. Communities of Solution are partnerships that develop and sustain community-tailored health programs at the local level, aimed at matching local health needs with integrated health services. Please see the attached for more information. If you intend to submit a manuscript, please notify Mr. Phil Lupo, JABFM Senior Editorial Assistant: lupop@med.wayne.edu.
May 8, 2012 IOM Report Identifies Key Obesity-Prevention Strategies to Scale Back 'Weight of the Nation'
America's progress in arresting its obesity epidemic has been too slow, and the condition continues to erode productivity and cause millions to suffer from potentially debilitating and deadly chronic illnesses, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Solving this complex, stubborn problem requires a comprehensive set of solutions that work together to spur across-the-board societal change, said the committee that wrote the report. It identifies strategies with the greatest potential to accelerate success by making healthy foods and beverages and opportunities for physical activity easy, routine, and appealing aspects of daily life.
The report, which was released today at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Weight of the Nation" conference, focuses on five critical goals for preventing obesity: integrating physical activity into people's daily lives, making healthy food and beverage options available everywhere, transforming marketing and messages about nutrition and activity, making schools a gateway to healthy weights, and galvanizing employers and health care professionals to support healthy lifestyles. The committee assessed more than 800 obesity prevention recommendations to identify those that could work together most effectively, reinforce one another's impact, and accelerate obesity prevention.
May 8, 2012 2010 Census Shows More than Half of Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders Report Multiple Races
The U.S. Census Bureau released today a 2010 Census brief, The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population: 2010 [PDF], that shows more than half (56 percent) of this population, or 685,000 people, reported being Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander in combination with one or more other races. This multiracial group grew by 44 percent from 2000 to 2010.
Overall, 1.2 million people, or 0.4 percent of all people in the United States, identified as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI), either alone or in combination with one or more races. This population grew by 40 percent from 2000 to 2010. Those who reported being Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone totaled 540,000, an increase of 35 percent from 2000 to 2010. The multiple-race Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population, as well as both the alone and alone-or-in-combination populations, all grew at a faster rate than the total U.S. population, which increased by 9.7 percent from 2000 to 2010.
May 7, 2012 Discover New Measures and Reports in Vital Statistics
HHDW has updated its Vital Statistics section with new measures and reports! Live birth data are now available as percentage of births, in addition to counts. Resident deaths are now displayed as counts, age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR), and years of productive life lost (YPLL) before age 75. These new measures make birth and death rate comparisons across groups feasible, and the YPLL gives an estimate of the burden of mortality.
April 3, 2012 PILI @ Work Opportunity in April at JABSOM Kaka'ako
The Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) is happy to announce the start-up of another PILI@Work study group at JABSOM Kaka’ako.
PILI @ Work is a weight loss and weight loss maintenance program. Its goal is to see if workplace interventions can make a significant difference in people’s health, and which type of interventions are the most successful.
April 2, 2012 UH Mānoa plans to establish School of Global and Community Health
Leaders of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa today announced plans to create a School of Global and Community Health to build on and expand the work of the former School of Public Health, which was closed in 1999 for fiscal reasons. In a joint statement, Mānoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, Dean of the John A. Burns School of Medicine Jerris Hedges, and Jay Maddock, director of the current Office of Public Health Studies, said the new School is needed to develop programs to address urgent health problems and issues, including poor nutrition and obesity, prevention of chronic and infectious disease, and improving epidemiology and international health.
April 1, 2012 JABSOM Biomedical Symposium Talk with Mitchell Geffner, MD - April 18th
The JABSOM Biomedical Symposium talk will start at 4 p.m. in MEB 315. The seminar title is: Disorders of Hormone Action, from Bedside to Bench and Back to Bedside. Mitchell E. Geffner, MD is a professor of Pediatrics in the division of Endocrinology in Los Angeles at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
February 23, 2012 Measuring Progress in Obesity Prevention - Workshop Report
Nearly 69 percent of U.S. adults and 32 percent of children are either overweight or obese, creating an annual medical cost burden that may reach $147 billion. The physical environments and the kinds of foods available where people live and work, the marketing and media messages they receive, and the public policies that govern their lives all play a major role in their diets and physical activity levels. Researchers and policy makers are eager to identify improved measures of environmental and policy factors that contribute to obesity prevention.
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) formed the Committee on Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention to review the IOM’s past obesity-related recommendations, identify a set of recommendations for future action, and recommend indicators of progress in implementing these actions. The committee held a workshop in March 2011 about how to improve measurement of progress in obesity prevention. The workshop was an opportunity for the committee to discuss opportunities and challenges related to measurement and to hear from experts in relevant fields, including public health, economics, nutrition, media studies and communication, marketing, and public policy. This document summarizes the workshop.
January 22, 2012 Call For Papers on School Food for Childhood Obesity Journal, due April 1
Ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food within the school environment is critical to the health and well-being of children and adolescents. Childhood Obesity, the premier journal and central forum on childhood and adolescent obesity, is seeking submissions for a special issue on school food. We welcome submissions from health and nutrition professionals; school food service professionals; and advocates, partners, and policymakers at the local, state, and national level, that address topics related to school food, including the Hunger-Free Kids Act, the new Farm Bill, promotion of nutrition education, and ensuring the sustainability of Farm to School Programs.
The special issue will be partially supported by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
For information on manuscript submission visit http://www.liebertpub.com/chi.
January 10, 2012 The merge of Hawaii Medical Journal and Hawaii Journal of Public Health
It is with pleasure that the Editorial Board and staff announce the melding of the Hawai‘i Medical Journal and the Hawai‘i Journal of Public Health to form the Hawai‘i Journal of Medicine & Public Health, effective January 1, 2012.
The new journal will improve communication among the medicine and public health communities, increase readership and advance our expertise in areas of significant community interest. The Hawaii Journal of Medicine & Public Health is fully indexed in PubMed and freely available to readers world-wide. While we welcome submissions from any location, our focus is on Hawai‘i and the Pacific Rim and populations from Hawai‘i and the Pacific who have settled in other areas. Authors may submit:
· Original Articles, Editorials, and Theoretical Papers
To submit articles or to subscribe to the journal, please visit www.hjmph.org. For organizational subscriptions and other inquiries, please contact the subscription manager at info@hjmph.org. HPHA members will continue to receive this journal for free as part of their member benefits. A link can be found each month in our Weekly Eblast.
January 2, 2012 'Stop Sugarcoating' Child Obesity Ad Draws Controversy
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta chose the straightforward approach after its survey of two towns in Georgia found that 50 percent of parents did not know childhood obesity was a problem and 75 percent of parents with obese children did not think their child was overweight. According to health communication experts, successful public health campaigns offer a clear call to action. Labbok says the Georgia ads address the problem, but don't give viewers a clear solution.
January 1, 2012 AHA Urges Governor Abercrombie to Combat Obesity in Hawaii
The U.S. is faced with an obesity epidemic of historical proportion. More than 72 million adults are obese, and in Hawaii approximately one in three children entering kindergarten are overweight or obese. In 2009, obesity cost Hawaii $329 million in related medical costs.
In recent decades, Americans have increased their consumption of “added sugars,” a common source of “empty calories” with little or no nutritional value. Sugar-sweetened beverages are the largest single source of excess calories in the U.S. diet, contributing to overweight and obesity.
American Heart Association science studies and reports support a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages will combat the obesity epidemic by discouraging consumption among youths, managing healthcare costs, and creating revenue from the beverage tax to fund comprehensive public health programs that reduce obesity.
Earlier this year, Governor Abercrombie indicated support for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.
Please tell him you support policy to help prevent childhood obesity in Hawaii and ask him to make sugar-sweetened beverage taxation a legislative priority in 2012.
December 21, 2011 PRAMS 2009 Reports are Live!
The Hawaii Health Data Warehouse is happy to announce the launch of the 2009 reports for the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for Hawaii. The PRAMS survey collects information on maternal health and behavior before, during, and shortly after pregnancy. On the warehouse, health measures are presented in reports broken down by geographic location, race, age, marital status, income, smoking practices, WIC participation, birth weight, and infant gender for the years 2000 to 2009. Counts, percentages, and 95% confidence intervals are provided, in addition to a trend analysis that displays changes in the indicator over time. The reports are categorized into four topic areas: Maternal and Child Health, Injuries, Substance Abuse, and Tobacco Use.
Here are some highlights from the PRAMS 2009 data for Hawaii:
· Alcohol consumption during the last 3 months of pregnancy continues to rise, with 2009 demonstrating the highest rate over the past 10 years (6.7%). For more information, click here.
· Breastfeeding was initiated by 93.3% of mothers in 2009. Maui County had the highest rate at 97.5%, while Hawaii County had the lowest at 92.5%. For more information, click here.
· Mothers under 20 years of age reported the highest rate of stressors in the 12 months prior to pregnancy; 76.0% replied they had experienced at least one stressor during this time period. The rate decreases as the age of the mother increases. For more information, click here.
· Physical abuse during pregnancy is highest for those with the lowest income. For those reporting income under $10,000 a year, 9.4% said they had experienced physical abuse by a husband or partner during their pregnancy. For more information, click here.
December 8, 2011 Childhood Obesity Interventions Focusing on Environment Pay Off
Childhood obesity prevention programs targeted to children aged 6 to 12 years that emphasize improving nutrition and physical activity levels are generally effective and worth the investment, according to a review of evidence on obesity intervention strategies around the world.
An international team of researchers conducted a review of 55 studies on childhood obesity prevention programs. The results were published online December 7 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The publication is an update to a Cochrane Review from 2005, which included 22 studies.
November 13, 2011 Sugar-sweetened Beverages May Increase Cardiovascular Risk in Women
Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may expand a woman’s waistline and increase her risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2011. In this study, researchers compared middle-aged and older women who drank two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day, such as carbonated sodas or flavored waters with added sugar, to women who drank one or less daily. Women consuming two or more beverages per day were nearly four times as likely to develop high triglycerides, and were significantly more likely to increase their waist sizes and to develop impaired fasting glucose levels. The same associations were not observed in men.
November 11, 2011 AAP Endorses New Cholesterol Screening Rules for Children
Regular cholesterol screening should be performed for children ages 9 to 11 and again for young adults ages 17 to 21, to identify early risks for heart disease, according to updated guidelines released by the NIH and endorsed by the AAP. The guidelines, which appear in the journal Pediatrics, include suggestions for improving cardiovascular health, such as regular physical activity and protection from tobacco smoke.
November 10, 2011 Sugary Drink FACTS Evaluating Sugary Drink Nutrition and Marketing to Youth
The Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity completed a report last month offering valuable information on "sugary drinks". This report highlights the substantial exposure that young people have to marketing for sugary drinks, such as sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks and fruit drinks, according to a new report. The companies examined in the report regularly market unhealthy drinks to young people through a variety of media, and in doing so they target black and Hispanic youths in particular.
The report was supported by grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Rudd Foundation. It is available at www.sugarydrinkfacts.org.
See Full Report here.
Novemer 9, 2011 Nurse Helps Disadvantaged Hawaiians Overcome Poverty and Become Nurses
Jamie Kamailani Boyd learned the art of nursing from her late grandmother, a nurse who raised Boyd when she was a young girl. She became a nurse's aide at a mental health institution and was horrified by what she saw. She became a nurse practitioner at health center clinics in Maui and Oahu, earned her doctorate in nursing, became a professor and created the Pathway out of Poverty program at Windward Community College. For developing an approach to breaking the cycle of poverty and improving the quality of nursing care, Boyd has been named one of 10 recipients of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Community Health Leaders Award.
The "Forging the Future" special double issue is arguably the most comprehensive publication to date on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), demographic data trends, and federal policy—including policy briefs on Civil Rights, Economic Development, Education, Health, and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders by over 50 leading AANHPI scholars, applied-researchers, and community leaders from all over the nation. Click here to see Journal.
October 17, 2011 CMS Innovation Advisors Program
The CMS Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation is now accepting applications for their new Innovation Advisors Program. This program seeks to train and support dedicated, skilled individuals in the healthcare system to deepen several key skill sets including healthcare economics and finance, population health, systems analysis, and operations research.
The application deadline for the first round is November 15, and the first group of Innovation Advisors will start their six-month intensive orientation and applied research period in December 2011. You can learn more about this program and access the application on the CMS website: http://innovations.cms.gov/innovation-advisors-program/
October 10, 2011 California Governor Signs Bill Requiring Accurate Collection of Inforation on Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders
Legislation requiring key state agencies to collect and post information about job programs participation and employment and housing discrimination faced by Asian and Pacific Islander ethnicities was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown late last night.
Current law already requires the collection and disaggregation of some Asian and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander groups, such as Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and Samoan. However, many emerging ethnic groups are not included in the law, and there are no mechanisms in place to respond to growth in populations. AB 1088 requires that data collected by the California Department of Industrial Relations and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing be disaggregated using the same categories used by the Census Bureau, including Bangladeshi, Fijian, Hmong, Indonesian, Malaysian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Taiwanese, Thai, and Tongan. In addition, the data would also be made more accessible online.
August 24, 2011 U.S. Census Bureau Releases 2010 Census Population Counts for American Samoa
The U.S. Census Bureau announces the 2010 Census population counts for American Samoa. On April 1, 2010, the population was 55,519. This represented a decrease of 3.1 percent from the 2000 Census population of 57,291. These custom maps: (Population Totals, Population change) show the population by county and percent change in population by county. As part of the 2010 Census, the Census Bureau worked with the American Samoa government to enumerate and gather detailed data on population and housing characteristics. Next year, more 2010 Census statistics will be available for American Samoa in a demographic profile. For more information, click here.
August 23, 2011 FoodCorps: Nutrition Education for Children
FoodCorps, which started last week, is a national service program that aims to improve nutrition education for children, develop school gardening projects and change what’s being served on school lunch trays. 50 service members, most of them in their 20s, just went to work at 41 sites in 10 states, from Maine to Oregon and Michigan to Mississippi. (FoodCorps concentrates on communities with high rates of childhood obesity or limited access to healthy food, though these days every state has communities like that). Curt Ellis, co-creator of the movie, “King Corn,” is running the show with Debra Eschmeyer, formerly of the National Farm to School Network, and Cecily Upton, formerly of Slow Food USA. FoodCorps is part of the AmeriCorps, from which it receives about a third of its budget. Most of the money comes from sources like the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and individual donors. For more information on FoodCorps, go their website http://foodcorps.org.
August 22, 2011 Is Online Marketing Disguised as Games Making Kids Obese?
A new policy statement by the the American Academy of Pediatrics says interactive marketing of junk food online may be contributing to child obesity. TIME's Alice Park shows a few examples of how companies are reaching kids online. Watch full video report here.
August 22, 2011 Walking School Bus Programs Take Off
A walking school bus isn't yellow, burns no gas, and is fueled by human energy. The "wheels" on this "bus" go round and round when small groups of children pedal their bikes or walk to school as adults supervise them along the route. A recent study of the program showed that participating students increased the amount and intensity of their physical activity, a big step toward stemming rising rates of childhood obesity. "Active commuting could help to broadly improve youth physical activity and prevent chronic disease," the study researchers write.
August 21, 2011 Pinelias School District Removes Sugary Drinks from Vending Machines
Starting this fall, Pinellas County high school students will find new vending machines on campus. They will remove soft drinks and sugary beverages and replace them with fruit juices and flavored water. Federal lawmakers last year passed the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act that calls for healthier options in school vending machines. A portion of a community grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — about $1.3 million — also will be used to pay for marketing the drinks to students, said Peggy Johns, the district's prekindergarten to 12th-grade health education supervisor. Students will pay $1 or less for the drinks, Dunham said.
August 15, 2011 Childhood Obesity, Drug Abuse Tied for First Place on the 2011 Children's Health Issues Report
Childhood obesity remains atop the list of Child health concerns for the fourth straight year. The Children's Health Issue Report is a nationally representative household survey conducted exclusively by Knowledge Networks, Inc. (KN), for C.S. Mott Children's Hospital via a method used in many published studies.
August 14, 2011 Overweight 2-year-olds Showing Signs of Major Health Problems
Dr. Sarah Messiah, a research associate professor and pediatric epidemiologist at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, published a paper demonstrating for the first time that overweight children as young as age 2 are showing signs of metabolic syndrome, a condition that can lead to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
July 11, 2011 How Food Prices Affect Your Weight
A new report from the USDA looked at the body mass index (BMI) of children and how it changed in response to food prices. Unsurprisingly, if prices increased 10% for soda, children's BMIs dropped .42%. That's 50% of a 8-year-old's normal weight gain for a year. That seems like a fairly large argument for a soda tax, but the study also found that helping people buy healthy food may be even more effective than penalizing them for buying unhealthy food.
See also, Cost and BMI Report Summary.
June 16, 2011 Teenage Obesity Increases Later Cancer Risk
Study of 20,000 medical records of obese teenage males who attended the Harvard School of Public Health between 1916 and 1950 found the risk of cancer remained even among those who lost weight later in life.
June 1, 2011 Is Frequency of Shared Family Meals Related to the Nutritional Health of Children?
This study published in Pediatrics explores the frequency of shared family mealtimes in relation to nutritional health in children and adolescents. It was conducted using 17 studies that examined overweight and obese, food consumption and eating patterns, and disordered eating. The results suggest that shared family mealtimes may improve the health of children and adolescents. Click here for article.
June 2011 Institute of Medicine's Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies
The Institute of Medicine discusses the importance of early detection and preventive measures of obesity in children in this report brief. Creating healthy behaviors, primarily less screen time and more hours of sleep.
May 13, 2011 2010 NHPI Population Distribution
1.2 million Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders were counted in the 2010 Census. Overall, there was a 30 percent population increase from the 2000 Census. In a presentation set for May 19, 2011 at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington D.C., demographers from the U.S. Census Bureau will discuss this rapid growth, and provide insights to distributions of the Asian and Pacific Islander populations across the country. They also will preview upcoming Census data that offer more detailed ethnic breakdowns of the Asian and Pacific Islander populations. To see the NHPI Population distribution map click here.
May 13, 2011 School Intervention May improve Kids' Heart Health Long Term
Middle school students who were offered healthier cafeteria food, more physical education and lessons about health choices improved their cholesterol levels and resting heart rates, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Quality of Care and Outcomes Research 2011 Scientific Sessions.
May 03, 2011 Pregnancy Malnutrition Raises Kids' Obesity Odds
Some of the first hints of later life consequences of maternal undernutrition during pregnancy come from the study of people born during the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944-1945. These people were much more likely to become obese adults if their mothers had been exposed to famine conditions during the first half of their pregnancy.
April 15, 2011 Kaiser Permanente Hawai'i Community Health Needs Assessment Released
The 2010 Hawaii Community Health Needs Assessment- Community Voices On Health will be used to develop a community benefits strategic plan and related programming efforts for the next three years (2011-2013). The assessment report looks at Hawaii's overall demographics, health status, health disparities, and gaps in health care services. The report also covers trends in social and economic determinants of health.
April 11, 2011 UH Medical School, Community Partners Launch Hawaii 5-2-1-0 Campaign
The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), its Department of Pediatrics, and the Hawai‘i Initiative for Childhood Obesity Research and Education (HICORE) are launching a new community campaign to prevent childhood obesity. Several local healthcare organizations are supporting this collaborative effort. Based at the JABSOM Department of Pediatrics, the Hawai‘i 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go Initiative aims to prevent childhood obesity through a coordinated, health education campaign which promotes a healthy lifestyle message.
March 25 2011 Resources on Health Effects of Sugar Sweetened Beverages
Informational briefing on the health effects of sweetened drink has been re-scheduled for Monday, March 28 at 3:00 pm in room 229 of the Capitol.
Background Information:
Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy: Issue Overview and Fact Sheets
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes and Public Health
Center for Disease Control: Does Drinking Beverages with Added Sugars Increase the Risk of Overweight?
February 2011 Childhood Exercise Leads to Sustained Improvements in Bone Mass
Researchers supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) have found evidence that high impact physical activity during childhood and early adolescence can lead to long-term improvements in bone mass, even after the cessatioInformational briefing on the health effects of sweetened drink is scheduled for Monday, March 28 at 3:00 pm in room 229 of the Capitol.n of exercise. Their study was published in a recent issue of Osteoporosis International.
February 25, 2011 Maternal, Pregnancy, and Birth Characteristics of Asians and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders
In 1997, the Office of Management and Budget issued revised standards for reporting race and ethnicity in federal datasets. To quantify the health status of NHPI mothers and infants in King County, Washington, 2003--2008 vital statistics for NHPI disaggregated from Asians were used to assess several key maternal and birth outcome indicators.
January 20, 2011 Surgeon general calls for action to support breast-feeding
U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin today will issue a call to remove obstacles that prevent women, especially working mothers, from breast-feeding. She is urging health care professionals to emphasize the benefits of breast-feeding. Many companies are directed under the new health care law to provide time and privacy for breast-feeding employees.
January 20, 2011 Experts say early intervention is key to obesity prevention
Pediatric and nutrition experts say paying attention to early growth patterns in children and providing age-appropriate interventions if needed can help prevent obesity. They say programs aimed at infants, while controversial, can have an impact and the prenatal environment also plays a role in a child's future weight and health.
January 18, 2011 Experts look to combat poor sleep habits in children
Studies show that sleep is a significant contributing factor in children's risk of later mental illnesses, especially anxiety disorders and depression, but many youngsters have difficulty getting the recommended hours of sleep. Experts say parents can help their children get enough sleep by setting a regular bedtime and limiting screen-time hours before bed. A team of clinicians also is working on a technique that teaches children to reduce anxious thoughts to ease sleep problems.
January 4, 2011 Obesity in Nauru: Highest in the world? (VIDEO)
The tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru holds that honor. At only 8.1 sq. miles, with a population of less than 10,000, the country's inhabitants have virtually become giants.
December 16, 2010 Study links early schooling in girls to lower obesity risk
Data from about 6,000 U.S. girls showed that those who were able to start school at a younger age had a significantly lower risk of being overweight or obese during adolescence than counterparts who began schooling later. Researchers said that the link could be attributed to peer influence, although a similar trend was not found in boys.
December 14, 2010 Child Nutrition Act: Key Changes the New Law Delivers
This week President Obama signed into law the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The $4.5 billion bill aims to make school foods more nutritious and expand the reach of lunches and dinners to thousands of children. But how exactly will it impact the future health of America's children? Here are 12 key points of the new law.
November 2010 Guide to the new growth chart recommendations: ‘Use WHO for under 2’
The CDC and the AAP are calling for clinicians to use World Health Organization growth curves for children up to 23 months and the CDC growth curves for older children.
October 27, 2011 Prevention Works—AJPH special issue features Prevention Institute
The November issue of the American Journal of Public Health helps prove that, in the words of Ray Baxter of Kaiser Permanente and Bob Ross of The California Endowment, "Prevention works."
October 21, 2010 Lunch Line Redesign
School cafeterias are much criticized for offering the kind of snack foods and desserts that contribute to childhood obesity. But banning junk food from cafeterias, as some schools have tried, or serving only escarole or tofu, can backfire. Students then skip lunch, bring in their own snacks or head out for fast food. We’ve even seen some pizzas delivered to a side door.
October 7, 2010 Pediatrician has prescription to fight obesity
Some of Dr. Maria Brown's young patients won't be getting a prescription they can fill at a pharmacy. Instead, they'll be instructed to fill their lungs with fresh air, feel the sunlight on their skin and stretch their muscles in the great outdoors. They will be told to walk around the block, visit a nature center or take a bike ride with their parents.
October 7, 2010 Insufficient Sleep, Diet, and Obesity
What is the problem and what is known about it so far?
Obesity is a substantial risk factor for serious illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Patients are usually advised to reduce their weight by restricting caloric intake (dieting) and increasing the amount of daily exercise. Some experts also believe that lack of sufficient sleep may contribute to obesity.
October 5, 2010 Sweetened Beverage Tax any link to job losses?
Man Eating Sugar. New York City Health Department.
You'd never eat 16 packs of sugar. Why would you drink 16 packs of sugar? There are 16 packs of sugar in one 20 oz. bottle of soda. All those extra calories can bring on obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Go with water, fat-free milk, seltzer or unsweetened tea instead.
September 23, 2010 Overweight kids face bias from own moms, dads
Study finds parents less willing to help buy car, pay tuition for obese offspring. Overweight youngsters may face discrimination at school and in relationships, but a U.S. study has found they can also receive harsher treatment at home — from their own parents.
September 14, 2010 Native Hawaiians: Vulnerability to early death at all ages
ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Throughout their lives, Native Hawaiians have higher risks of death than white Americans, according to a University of Michigan study.
The research is the first known study to assess mortality patterns among Native Hawaiians at the national level, including those living outside the state of Hawaii.
Contact: Diane Swanbrow, swanbrow@umich.edu, (734) 647-9069
EDITORS: Images are available at: http://www.ns.umich.edu/Releases/2010/Sep10/hawaii.html
September 9, 2010 New recommendations for use of growth charts
With support from the AAP and National Institutes of Health, the CDC has released a recommendation that U.S. clinicians use the 2006 World Health Organization international growth charts, rather than the 2000 CDC growth charts, for children aged 0-23 months. When using the WHO growth charts to assess growth, use of the 2.3rd and 97.7th percentiles (2 standard deviations) are recommended, rather than the 5th and 95th percentiles. The CDC growth charts should continue to be used for the assessment of growth in persons aged 2 to 19 years.
September 8, 2010 First lady pushes for passage of Child Nutrition Act
First lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday called on Congress to pass the Child Nutrition Act, which would push forward her "Let's Move!" campaign against childhood obesity. The House is expected to put the bill on its agenda this month, and lawmakers will likely add new elements and more funding to the $4.5 billion version passed by the Senate
September 6, 2010 Lack of nighttime sleep may increase obesity risk in children.
Children age 4 and younger who slept less than 10 hours at night were 80% more likely to be overweight or obese five years later compared with those who slept longer, a U.S. study found. Researchers said that a lack of adequate nighttime sleep might be a lasting risk factor for obesity and that napping should not be a substitute for nighttime sleep.
August 2010 Health Status of Children in Hawai‘i: 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health
The National Survey of Children’s Health provides us with an excellent opportunity to explore important child health issues both nationally and in Hawai‘i. The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Family Health Services Division is pleased to present the Health Status of Children in Hawai‘i: 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health. This report uses 2007 data and highlights 22 child health indicators representing the following:
1) physical, mental, and dental health, 2) health care access, quality, and insurance coverage, and 3) community, school, and family life/health. Hawai‘i data was examined for each indicator by age, race, gender, federal poverty level categories, and insurance type. Disparities among the specifi c population groups are highlighted for each indicator. The information presented in this report is meant to stimulate action by policy makers, planners, and the community who consistently strive to improve the health of children in Hawai‘i.
August 5, 2010 Mentorship program helps prevent obesity in adolescents
A study that paired college student mentors with mainly black urban children ages 11 to 16 helped the youngsters learn to make healthy food and lifestyle choices. The study inPediatrics showed the rate of obese and overweight children in the group dropped 5% and the one-on-one mentoring prevented some from becoming overweight for at least two years after the program ended.
July 13, 2010 Babies eat better when Mom is taught good feeding practices
Babies were more likely to eat vegetables and try new foods if their mothers were taught about responsible feeding, researchers reported. Nurses visited the first-time mothers and instructed them on timing and introducing solid foods, using repeated exposure to get infants to accept new items, and how to recognize signs of hunger and fullness. HealthDay News
July 2010 Ellen Gustafson: Obesity + Hunger = 1 global food issue
Co-creator of the philanthropic FEED bags, Ellen Gustafson says hunger and obesity are two sides of the same coin. At TEDxEast, she launches The 30 Project -- a way to change how we farm and eat in the next 30 years, and solve the global food inequalities behind both epidemics.
June 29, 2010 New Report: Hawaii Ranks Fifth Least Obese State in the Nation
Washington, D.C. June 29, 2010 - Hawaii was named the fifth least obese state in the country, according to the seventh annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010 report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The state's adult obesity rate is 22.6 percent, and, in Hawaii men are more obese than women at 25 percent. Now more than two-thirds of states (38) have adult obesity rates above 25 percent.
June 29, 2010 Pediatric hypertension becomes bigger health care issue
Pediatric blood pressure is becoming a more important health care issue, driven by rising hypertension rates among overweight children that can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and other problems. Regular blood-pressure screenings can help identify children who may need dietary changes and physical activity to lose weight and reverse the bad effects of high blood pressure.
April 2010 School Foods at the Forefront of Research, Initiatives
More than one in three middle school students who regularly eat school lunches are obese or overweight. They’re also more likely to have high LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels than kids who bring lunch from home. The research suggests that efforts to provide healthier choices on school lunch menus still have a long way to go, says Elizabeth Jackson, MD, MPH, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor.
April 2010 U.S. DHHS Awards Wellness and Prevention Grants to 44 Communities
As part of the Community Putting Prevention to Work initiative, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded grants to prevent chronic disease and promote wellness to 44 communities in 31 states across the country. The grants, totaling more than $370 million, will support public health efforts to improve nutrition, increase physical activity, reduce obesity and decrease tobacco use. Twenty-three communities will focus solely on preventing obesity. Fourteen will work on preventing tobacco use. Seven additional communities will address both public health opportunities.
March 19, 2010 Congratulations Dr. Katie Heinrich
and the UH JABSOM Office of Public Health Studies!
CONGRATULATIONS HAWAIʻI STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH!!
A historic new investment in prevention and wellness in communities across the country. Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, announced the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative from HHS headquarters in Washington, DC. Over the next two years $370 million will be invested tobacco and obesity-prevention programs in cities, towns, rural areas, and tribal communities across America. In Hawaiʻi, two programs are funded through the Hawaiʻi Department of Health $3.4 Million: (1) Kauai will increase residents’ awareness and knowledge of healthy eating and active living through multiple media venues; increase physical activity and improve nutrition through social support, culturally appropriate education, and behavior change; increase access to and consumption of local produce including links to restaurants and grocery stores; restrict the availability of unhealthy foods in schools; promote healthy foods in grocery stores; and improve active transport and public transportation infrastructure. (2) Maui will work to prevent obesity by educating residents, increasing knowledge, and raising awareness about healthy eating and active living through multiple media venues; increasing physical activity and improving nutrition through social support, culturally appropriate education and behavior change; increasing access to and consumption of local produce; restricting the availability of unhealthy foods in schools; promoting healthy foods in grocery stores; and improving active transport and public transportation infrastructure.
March 2010 Dan Barber: How I fell in love with a fish
Chef Dan Barber squares off with a dilemma facing many chefs today: how to keep fish on the menu. With impeccable research and deadpan humor, he chronicles his pursuit of a sustainable fish he could love, and the foodie's honeymoon he's enjoyed since discovering an outrageously delicious fish raised using a revolutionary farming method in Spain.
Let's Move: Turning the Tide on Obesity
By Dr. Judith S. Palfrey, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics.
As a pediatrician, my number one goal is to keep children healthy. Yet, over the 30 years I’ve been in practice, there has been a distressing increase in the number of children and adolescents who are overweight and obese. Today, most physicians are dealing with overweight and obesity in about 30 percent of the children we treat. These staggering numbers have alarmed the pediatric community, and they should spur us as a nation into action.
Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food
Sharing powerful stories from his anti-obesity project in Huntington, W. Va., TED Prize winner Jamie Oliver makes the case for an all-out assault on our ignorance of food.
HO‘ALA project awakens need for safe routes to eliminate childhood obesity
Hawaiʻi is one of only eight locations in the U.S. to receive the “rapid response funding award” from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, through the Active Living Research Program. In Hawaiʻi, the funding creates a program called HO‘ALA—which stands for Hawaii’s Opportunity for Active Living Advancement. The word means “to waken” in the Native Hawaiian language.
For more information on these opportunities, visit the Peoples Access to Trails Hawai‘i website, email PATH, or call 808-936-4653.
Kids' electronic media use jumps to 53 hours a week
A Kaiser Family Foundation survey of children ages 8 to 18 showed they spend about 7.5 hours a day -- or more than 53 hours a week -- using media, an increase from the six hours and 19 minutes reported 10 years ago. Data showed black and Hispanic children spend almost one-third more time with electronics each day than their white counterparts.
Read more here, or read the Kaiser Family Foundation's report here.
20% of children and teens have cholesterol problems
A CDC study found that one in five teens and children in the U.S. has high cholesterol. Researchers say overweight and obese children and teens were more likely to have abnormal lipid levels compared with peers of normal weight. 1 in 5 U.S. Kids Has High Cholesterol: Obese, overweight at greatest risk for heart disease as adults, CDC report notes.
Marketing foods to children and adolescents: licensed characters and other promotions on packaged foods in the supermarket.
April 1, 2009 Healthiest Nation in One Generation
Lets face it as a nation were not nearly as healthy as we should be. But it doesnt have to be this way. With your help, we can make America the healthiest nation in one generation. Want to learn how?