Great news for some New Orleans schools! Fresh vending machines are a new alternative to the usual sugary, salty snacks we see. Check out this great article from the Times-Picayune:

“Because she has several relatives with high blood pressure and diabetes, Ashlyn Pinkins is determined to eat healthful food. That’s why the high school junior has no problem with — and actually advocated for — the newest vending machines at Thomas Jefferson Academy for Advanced Studies.

Just outside the Gretna school’s cafeteria, the Fresh Healthy Vending machines dispense such fare as baked pita chips, soy milk, apple sauce, low-fat granola bars and organic iced teas. Adjacent to it is a Pepsi machine that carries only water and flavored water. Gone are the chocolate bars and soft drinks to which students once flocked.

Thomas Jefferson is among 17 public and private schools that have welcomed the machines on campuses in Jefferson and Orleans parishes amid a national obesity epidemic.

About 25 million U.S. children ages 2 to 19 are overweight or obese, according to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Founded in 2005 by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, the group works to empower youth to make healthy lifestyle choices.

“I see what obesity does to people,” said Ashlyn, who serves on the group’s national youth advisory board and Thomas Jefferson Academy’s wellness committee. “I don’t think youth are really informed about the dangers of obesity.”

She said the healthful-snack vending machines are part of an overall wellness program that includes healthier lunches and breakfasts at Jefferson, along with such movement classes as Zumba, circuit training and tae kwon do. That program and a similar one at Bissonet Plaza Elementary School in Metairie were recently recognized with Bronze Awards by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

“I was really excited to see all the options” in the vending machines,” Ashlyn said. “At first students were surprised, but they seem to be adjusting well.”

Thomas Jefferson Principal Gerard LeBlanc credits his wellness committee and physical education teacher Robert Gilchrist with encouraging him to test the machines.

“He has us all eating healthy,” LeBlanc said. “He just came to me and said, ‘We need healthier choices for our kids.’ We started with one, and as the need increases we’ll probably get another one before the end of the school year.”

Fresh Healthy Vending opened in 2010 in San Diego and is now franchised in dozens of cities across the country. They have become popular additions not only to schools but at fitness centers and country clubs.

“We’re doing really well in some locations and not so well in other locations,” said Nick Bruce, a partner with Joe Brady in the franchise for Orleans, Jefferson, Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. “High schools are especially doing well with them. It gives the kids an opportunity to make healthier choices for themselves.”

Offerings range in price from $1.25 to $2 and include everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to yogurt and smoothies. Bruce said his franchise lets students do taste tests to decide preferences for their schools.

Sites that agree to house the machines receive a percentage of sales revenue.

David Lewis, principal of L.W. Higgins High School in Marrero, said the machines have proved to be good teaching tools in his school’s wellness program. Although some students initially panned the idea of healthful snacks, many are now buying it.

“They understand that this is something that will benefit all of us in the future,” he said. “My staff loves it.”

Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, said she has worked more than 10 years to influence change in vending machine snacks.

“We’ve been concerned about obesity for a long time, and as we were thinking about ways to address the issue, we thought it was important to address the foods that kids eat during the school day,” Wootan said.

“It’s all about education,” she said. “In addition to math and science, we want our kids to learn how protect their own health. When you have vending machines filled with candy and other unhealthy foods, that teaches them the wrong thing.”

Soon, she said, all schools must switch to more healthful fare. Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the federal government is setting nutritional standards for food sold in schools, including vending machine snacks.

Nancy Tigert, a nurse practioner at Ochsner Medical Center and Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School’s school-based health clinic, said Bonnabel is well on its way to becoming a healthier campus. Plans include smoothie sales and a kiosk stocked with grab-and-go breakfast items such as whole wheat waffles, yogurt, bagels, juices and milk. She said the school does not have a healthy-snack vending machine but is considering it.

“In surveying students, we found that many kids do not eat breakfast,” she said. “The cafeteria serves breakfast, but it’s not popular. The kiosk will be located outside where students can just hang out and grab something healthy to eat.”

Bonnabel students Francisco Pazo and Cory Scavo are among the students helping launch the new programs. They also are planning the school’s annual wellness week featuring healthful-cooking demonstrations, relay races and activities with the New Orleans Hornets.

“We want to see a healthier generation within our own community,” Pazo said. “And I think we’re on our way.”"

To see the article in full with images, click here.

Story credit - The Times-Picayune

Check out this great story from KATC.com about the Acadiana area DHH branch reaching out to reduce the risk of SIDS.

“The Region 4 (Acadiana area) Department of Health and Hospitals’ Office of Public Health has organized a donation drive that will combat one public health issue while providing a solution for another.

The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that bumper pads, which are soft, padded materials that line cribs, should not be used in areas where infants sleep because they pose a high risk for SIDS, suffocation or strangulation.

From Jan. 16 through 27, residents can drop off crib bumper pads at any of the region’s seven parish health units. Local high school students then will refashion the bumper pads to make them into bedrail guards, lap blankets, adult bibs and other items, and will donate these items to local nursing homes.

“The American Academy of Pediatrics released new guidelines in October for how parents can reduce their babies’ risk of SIDS and suffocation, which included removing bumper pads,” said Dr. Tina Stefanski, regional medical director. “We wanted to help raise awareness of these new guidelines locally, as suffocation was the leading cause of accidental death for Louisiana infants in 2009, which is the last year for which data is available. We also realized an opportunity to use the crib bumper pads for a good cause - although they pose a risk for infants, they can help elderly residents in nursing homes avoid bumps and bruising, and can make them more comfortable when resting.”

The list of Acadiana area parish health units is included below. Parents who wish to donate infant bumper pads can drop them off at any health unit during regular business hours.

Office of Public Health Region 4 Parish Health Units

ACADIA
530 W. Mill St.
Crowley LA 70526
(337)788-7507

EVANGELINE
1010 W LaSalle St.
Ville Platte LA 70586
(337)363-1135

IBERIA
715B Weldon St.
New Iberia LA 70560
(337)373-0021

LAFAYETTE
220 W. Willow St., Bldg A
Lafayette LA 70501
(337)262-5616

ST. LANDRY-Opelousas
308 W. Bloch St.
Opelousas LA 70570
(337)948-0220

ST. MARTIN
303 W. Port St.
St. Martinville LA 70582
(337)394-3097

VERMILION
2501 Charity St.
Abbeville LA 70510
(337)893-1443

The Acadiana office of The Family Tree, 4540 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, B220, Lafayette, will also act as a bumper pad collection site. The contact number for The Family Tree is (337) 295-7021.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about DHH, visit http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov. For up-to-date health information, news and emergency updates, follow DHH’s blog, Twitter account and Facebook.”

To view the story on the site, click here.

Story Credit: KATC.com

Check out this great story from the Monroe News Star about Louisiana becoming the first state to accept the March Of Dimes challenge to lower state-wide premie birth rate by 8%.

“Louisiana is the first state to accept a new challenge from the March of Dimes to reduce the state’s prematurity rate 8 percent in the next two years.

On Wednesday, the March of Dimes, whose mission it is to prevent birth defects and infant mortality, recognized the state for its ongoing efforts to reduce premature births, and then challenged state health officials to take their Birth Outcomes campaign a step further.

All of Louisiana’s birthing hospitals have agreed to eliminate the practice of delivering babies before 39 weeks when it’s not medically necessary.

With the challenge accepted and new goal in place, March of Dimes president Dr. Jennifer Howse said her nonprofit estimates 750 Louisiana babies will be saved from an early birth. This will also save the state millions of dollars in health care costs, a news release from the Department of Health and Hospitals stated.

Louisiana is one of the first states to develop a coordinated, statewide initiative to reduce elective deliveries before 39 weeks, according to the March of Dimes.

Known as The Louisiana Birth Outcomes Initiative, the program focuses on finding solutions to the state’s poor birth outcomes. Louisiana has a history for ranking among the bottom two or three states in the nation in prematurity and infant mortality rates, according to the department.

One component of the program, the 39-Week Initiative, is a voluntary program in which hospitals agree to establish policies to end the practice of unnecessary early deliveries.

“The response was outstanding, with 20 hospitals across the state adopting the initiative by July 2011. As of last week, all of Louisiana’s 58 birthing hospitals have signed on,” the DHH news release stated.

Prematurity increases the risk of infant mortality, and the child developing long-term health problems such as behavioral problems, high blood pressure, or diabetes.

That’s why the need for such an initiative is staggering, especially for Ouachita Parish, said Birth Outcomes Director Dr. Rebekah Gee. For instance, in 2009, the parish’s infant mortality was 10.1, compared to the state’s rate of 8.8. per 1,000 live births.

The region also has a higher rate of pre-term births: Louisiana’s rate of pre-term births is 12.4 percent, while Region 8’s is 13.3 percent. In 2009, of the 1,730 babies delivered in Ouachita Parish, 242 were pre-term.

“Ouachita is much worse than national averages and worse than Louisiana,” Gee said. “It’s really glaring though if you look at infant mortality among black babies.”

In Ouachita, the infant mortality rate among African-American babies in 2009 was 13.7, compared to 12.6 in Louisiana.

According to Gee, there’s been a practice by doctors and patients around the state to deliver babies early, based on the doctor’s and patient’s convenience rather than the physical readiness of the baby and mother.

The health department hopes to change that, now that all birthing hospitals in the state have agreed to prevent this practice.

At St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe, Women’s House Manager Donny Bouy said the hospital’s staff is hoping the initiative will help decrease the number of admissions to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. As a level three facility, St. Francis gets admissions of high risk moms from other hospitals and parishes, she said.

She said the hospital had done a soft launch of the program a while back, but will start tracking outcomes as of Jan. 1.

“We’re being very aggressive to getting the information out. It’s now in our admission packet so they know even before they come that they should wait 39 weeks,” Bouy said.

The state’s message is in line with the March of Dimes’ message that “Healthy babies are Worth the Wait,” a play on words that stresses reducing the number of babies that are born early, which also can result in a lower birth weight.

Gee said the infant’s organs are still developing between 37-39 weeks, so when the baby is delivered before that, they sometimes end up needing more support with feeding and breathing.

“They’re just not fully developed … that’s not complete until 39 weeks,” Gee said. “The birth process shouldn’t be on your schedule. Certainly the work isn’t over once the baby’s born so what’s waiting a for a few more days?”

Furthermore, Gee said the risk for prematurity is higher for mothers who don’t wait at least 18 months in between pregnancies.

Sometimes the issue may be neither the doctor nor mother can pinpoint the time of conception, a baby may be delivered too early. The best way to avoid this is educate the patient and for both the doctor and patient to have a good reason for delivering a baby early, Gee said.

“I think it’s reasonable as a patient to ask, ‘Why am I being induced?’ If it’s just the schedule, maybe that’s not a good enough reason,” Gee said. “We need to focus on the outcome.”"

Story Credit - Monroe News Star. See the full story here.

CCBC will officially launch the txt4health campaign at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans on Tuesday, January 31^st, 2012 from noon to 5pm.

Txt4health is a mobile health information service designed to help people understand their risk for type 2 diabetes and become more informed about the steps they can take to lead healthy lives. People who sign up for txt4health will receive SMS text messages each week with timely, relevant information to help them improve and manage their health.

The campaign launch event will be both educational and entertaining, featuring prominent guest speakers, panel discussions, exercise and cooking demonstrations, and live entertainment.  Below, are some launch event program highlights:

• Farzad Mostashari, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, will be the keynote speaker.
• Guest speakers include: Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Secretary of Health Bruce Greenstein, and Mike Reitz, CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana.
• Guest panelists include, but not limited to: Dr. Karen DeSalvo, Health Commissioner, City of New Orleans; Dr. Ann Albright, Division Director of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Vivian Fonseca, President of Medicine and Science, American Diabetes Association; Dr. Ken Phenow, Chief Medical Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Warren Moore, PharmaD, Divisional Health and Wellness Senior Director Mississippi River Delta (LA, MS, TN), Walmart; and Chris McGowen, Director of Government Affairs, Novo Nordisk.
• Four local celebrity chefs will demonstrate how to prepare heart healthy meals.
• Hornets players, cheerleaders and Hugo the mascot will lead the exercise demonstration.
• O. Perry Walker High School band and the Brassaholics will provide live entertainment.

The launch event will be webcasted live with public health leaders and stakeholders from across the country tuning in from the convenience of their computer and having the opportunity to actively participate in the program by asking questions via the UStream channel.

To RSVP for the txt4health launch event, send an email to RSVP@spearsconsultinggroup.com.

For more information about the txt4health program, please visit www.crescentcitybeacon.org.

The City of New Orleans Health Department, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Health Commissioner Dr. Karen DeSalvo recently launched a guide to behavioral health resources available throughout the greater New Orleans area. The 32-page guide provides residents with information on mental health and substance abuse services and resources in the city.

The brochure can be accessed through the City’s website here.

The Times-Picayune recently published a great editorial praising the passing of the Complete Streets ordinance in New Orleans, and it is definately worth reading.

“New Orleans officials have made significant progress in adding bicycle lanes to many city streets in recent years, especially as many thoroughfares have been repaired after Hurricane Katrina. Now those efforts will be cemented into city policy with a new ordinance that requires the design of most future streets to consider more than just motorized vehicles.

At the urging of Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer, the City Council has unanimously approved a law to implement so-called “complete streets” principles in future city projects. The concept, which is growing across the nation, posits that city streets should be designed to consider their full array of users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, people in wheelchairs and transit riders.

In practice, that means future New Orleans streets, or current streets that get an overlay or large repairs, will need to be designed and constructed to include features such as bike lanes and bike racks, sidewalks and crosswalks.

The law requires that the new policy be fully implemented by December 2012.

Not all streets will have to meet the new requirement, and that’s important to keep the additional costs in check. Exceptions include roads in which walking and biking is prohibited and streets where there’s no demand for such activities or where adding these types of features would raise a project’s cost by 20 percent or more. The law also excludes streets undergoing minor repairs.

New Orleans has 70 miles of bike lanes in use, under construction or planned. That’s almost seven times the city’s pre-Katrina mileage. That has earned the city deserved accolades, as the changes improve safety for bicycle users and give residents more and healthier options for transportation. The city already ranks sixth in studies that estimate the percentage of residents who ride bikes to work.

Tulane University’s Prevention Research Center and the University of New Orleans Transportation Institute, among other expert entities, praised the city’s approval of the “complete streets” ordinance.

Joseph Kimbrell, CEO of the Louisiana Public Health Institute, said the new law “is another sign our community is becoming more forward-thinking for us and future generations.”"

Credit to NOLA.com. See the article here.

Sometimes, all we need for a healthy boost are a few ingredient substitutions in our favorite meals. Often these changes don’t alter the taste we love or crave, but can dramatically cut back on some of the additives, fats and oils certain items contain.

The Mayo Clinic has a great chart with ingredient substitutions that is definitely worth checking out here.

The New Orleans City Council voted unanimously on Dec. 15, to pass the Complete Streets ordinance, making the city the first in the state to adopt such a progressive policy.

The new ordinance was championed by Councilwoman Kristin Gislesen Palmer and a diverse coalition of public health and transportation advocates. The ordinance calls on the Department of Public Works, in consultation with the City Planning Commission, to implement a more systematic and thorough decision making process concerning improvements to the City’s transportation system. This process requires that local streets and bridges be designed not only for automobiles, but also for non-motorized roadway users.

Through this ordinance, the City acknowledges an array of facilities and amenities that support a complete transportation system, such as sidewalks, bike lanes and racks, crosswalks, traffic calming, street and sidewalk lighting, clearly visible signals and signage, accessibility improvements, public transit facilities, landscaping, utilities, drainage and storm water management systems, as well as street furniture and other amenities. Additionally, the policy calls for the program to be implemented by Dec. 1, 2012.

In full, the new policy states: “The Council of the City of New Orleans shall establish and implement a Complete Streets program by requiring that all planning, designing, funding, construction, operation, and maintenance of the City’s transportation network to accommodate and encourage travel for all users, including bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of commercial goods, pedestrians, users of public transportation, and seniors in a balanced, responsible, and equitable manner consistent with, and supportive of, the surrounding community.”

“By creating safer environments for our citizens, we’re also creating a healthier lifestyle for many,” said Joseph Kimbrell, CEO of the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI). “The passage of this ordinance is another sign our community is become more forward thinking for us and future generations and we look forward to seeing these changes come to fruition.”

About the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI)

Founded in 1997, The Louisiana Public Health Institute’s mission is to promote and improve the health and quality of life in Louisiana through public-private partnering at the community, parish and state levels. By fostering collaborative endeavors in the areas of health information, public policy, applied research, and community capacity enhancement, LPHI works to develop community-oriented solutions that improve the health of the Louisiana population. For more information, visit www.lphi.org.

The CDC posted some great tips on eating healthy this holiday season. Check out the story below.

“With balance and moderation, you can enjoy the holidays the healthy way. Choose fresh fruit as a festive and sweet substitute for candy. Select just one or two of your favorites from the host of tempting foods. Find fun ways to stay active, such as dancing to your favorite holiday music. Be active for at least 2½ hours a week. Help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day.

Following holiday celebrations, thoughts often turn to the New Year and getting in shape. The federal 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans can guide and motivate you to get active. Regular physical activity over months and years produces long-term health benefits and reduces the risk of many diseases. Staying in control of your weight contributes to good health now and as you age.

So this holiday season, be aware of what you’re eating and stay physically active.”

In an effort to keep children from accidentally overdosing at home, the CDC and partners have launched the Up and Away and Out of Sight educational campaign. This program outlines simple steps parents can take to keep their families safe, which includes:

• Pick a place children cannot reach.  Find a storage place too high for a child to reach or see.  Any medicine or vitamin can cause harm if taken the wrong way, even medicine you buy without a prescription.
• Put medicines and vitamins away every time you use them.  Never leave medicines or vitamins out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child’s bedside, even if you have to give the medicine again in a few hours.
• Hear the click.  Make sure the safety cap is locked. If the medicine has a locking cap that turns, twist it until the click is heard.
• Teach children about medicine safety. Never tell children that medicine is candy to get them to take it, even if the child does not like to take his or her medicine.
• Tell guests about medicine safety. Ask houseguests and visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicines in them up and away and out of sight when they are visiting.
• Be prepared in case of emergency. Program the poison control number into home and cell phones (1–800–222–1222).

For the full story, check it out on the CDC’s website here.