PORTLAND, Ore. - La obesidad infantil crece en todo el país y a más del11% en Oregon, revela un reporte reciente. Los expertos dicen que los hábitos de una saña alimentación son críticos para frenar esta tendencia. Comentan RachelPetit, gerente del programa "Raíces del Alimento", que abarca de la granja hasta la escuela en el Condado Tillamook; y Kristen Case, administradora de practicantes de enfermería en los Centros de Salud Estudiantil del Condado Multnomah.

Dicen los expertos que la clave para combatir las crecientes tasas de obesidad entre los muchachos son los hábitos alimenticios. Un programa que procura poner jóvenes en la ruta correcta para que prefieran alimentos más sanos, es Raíces Alimenticias ("Food Roots") en el Condado Tillamook, en asociación con seis escuelas del área. Rachel Petit, administradora de su programa de la granja al hogar, dice que un enfoque que usan para animar a que los estudiantes adopten mejores decisiones de dietas es introducir las oportunidades de libre juicio para probar nuevas verduras. Como ella dice, "hacerle el 'fuchi' a lo que para alguien está rico, no ayuda a romper el estigma en torno a los alimentos sanos."

"Cuando dices que lo que esta comiendo alguien mas es 'asqueroso', podrias herir sus sentimientos y causar un impacto negativo de como se ven a si mismos, o como ven lo que tu comes."

"Raíces del Alimento" ("Food Roots") recibe apoyo de la organización de cuidado coordinado "Columbia Pacific C-C-O". En Oregon más de uno de cada diez jóvenes entre 10 y 17 años es considerado obeso, según el informe más reciente de la Fundación por la Salud de América ("Trust for America's Health").

Kristen Case es practicante de enfermería en los Centros Estudiantiles de la Salud del Condado Multnomah ("Multnomah County Student Health Centers") y dice que entre el 30 y el50 por ciento de los pacientes que ve son considerados obesos. Los centros están ubicados en escuelas de nivel "High School" en todo el país, y atienden a muchachos desde los cinco hasta los diez y ocho años, sin distinción si sus familias tienen o no seguro médico. Case dice que ha visto diagnósticos de diabetes a edades tempranas, y ve otros efectos de largo plazo en la salud, como hipertensión y enfermedades del hígado asociadas a estados de la salud mental. Ofrece su asesoría a los padres de familia, en favor de una alimentación más sana.

"Esto suena super simple, pero creo que es muy importante que las familias puedan sentarse juntas a comer, y puedan ayudar a elegir las opciones sanas que haya en la casa. Ser un ejemplo a seguir."

Para Petit, ayudar a los chicos de la escuela a elegir opciones saludables se ha traducido cambios fuera del salón. Ha oído que los padres dicen que sus pequeños eran quisquillosos para comer - pero luego la degustación de prueba con "Food Roots", ya quieren comer verduras.

"Eso de veras nos demuestra que lo que estamos haciendo es impactar positivamente a estos jovenes, y va rumbo al hogar."

El reporte de "Trust for America's Health" esta en: tfah.org.


get more stories like this via email

California's program helping low-income families buy fresh fruit and vegetables is on the chopping block and health care advocates are asking legislators to save the Market Match program.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed cutting most of the program's $35 million budget to help close the state's budget shortfall.

Sophia Vaccaro, a participant in Market Match from Echo Park, said she depends on Market Match in more ways than one.

"It helps people being able to stretch their budget further," Vaccaro explained. "Then, I think it helps the community, in that it creates a sense of camaraderie at the farmers' market and makes people more invested in the community itself."

The program matches every dollar CalFresh customers spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at a farmer's market up to between $10 and $20 per day. It is active at 294 sites across the state and is partially paid for through federal matching funds.

Dr. John Maa, surgeon at Marin Health Medical Center and board member of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the American Heart Association, said Market Match promotes healthy eating and boosts the local farm economy.

"An improved diet really will have long-term meaningful impacts on health, and also reduce health care costs," Maa explained. "It really helps to sustain the growers and the merchants. I guess it's a win-win-win."

Siu Han Cheung, outreach coordinator for the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and board member of the Heart of the City Farmers' Market, argued the program is vital to residents across the state.

"If the Market Match will be cut, that is terrible," Cheung stressed. "That means they have less money to buy their food. So, Market Match is very important for the low-income families and the seniors."

Legislators and the governor are working toward the May budget revisions, and must pass a balanced budget by June 15.

South Dakotans face high prices at the grocery store and some are working to ease the burden.

A new report from the Federal Trade Commission finds some grocery retailers used the supply-chain disruptions of the pandemic to raise prices and collect bigger profits, even after supply chains regulated.

One South Dakota group is trying to reduce sticker shock by targeting the state sales tax on groceries. Dakotans for Health is sponsoring a citizens ballot initiative to repeal the 4.2 % tax.

Rick Weiland, co-founder of the group, said lower food bills would make a meaningful difference for some.

"People of modest means, or low income hardworking families, disproportionately spend upwards of 30% on food," Weiland pointed out. "This is going to be helpful."

South Dakota is one of only two states in the country to apply its full state sales tax rate to groceries with no exemptions, Mississippi being the other. More than 9% of South Dakotans are considered food insecure, meaning they do not always have access to enough healthy food.

The grocery tax has been a popular topic among state legislators in recent years. Republican Gov. Kristi Noem even campaigned on the promise to repeal it. Critics have said proposing a tax cut without a way to finance it is irresponsible.

Weiland pointed out Gov. Noem had a formula spelled out when she brought forward her bill in 2023, which was voted down.

"She had no problem defending her position in front of the Legislature, in terms of how much revenue the state was going to lose and where they could make it up," Weiland recounted.

The initiative needs about 17,500 signatures by next month to appear on the November ballot.

Colorado families must sign up before the end of April to receive $120 per child to buy food through the new Summer EBT program approved by Congress. Families with incomes that qualify for free and reduced-price school lunches - up to around $49,000 a year for a family of three - must enroll through their school.

Anya Rose, public policy director with Hunger Free Colorado, said as school cafeterias close their doors for summer, EBT cards can help kids get the nutrition they need to return to school in the fall ready to learn.

"A lot of families will be automatically enrolled, if they are enrolled in programs like TANF, SNAP, Medicaid. If you are unsure, then talk to your school about filling out the household income form to make sure you can qualify this year if you're income eligible," she said.

EBT grocery cards can be used to buy fruits and vegetables, milk, cheese, eggs, breads, meat, fish and other food at all grocery stores that accept SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps.

Rose noted grocery cards will be sent by mail, so it's important to make sure schools have your correct address.

Some 337,000 Colorado children are eligible for the program that is expected to generate up to $72 million in economic activity across the state. Grocery cards are available to all income-qualifying households regardless of their immigration status.

"There are no immigration eligibility requirements. And accessing Summer EBT and school meals do not impact immigration status in any way," she explained.

Filling out your school's household income application, sometimes called a school meal or benefit form, will also bring critical federal dollars into Colorado's Healthy School Meals for All initiative. It's currently running $24 million over budget. Rose adds there are other benefits for families who participate in Summer EBT.

"That same form can also qualify students to get discounts on school-related fees for things like SAT or ACT testing, or athletics or band or field trips or other activities," she said.