Apr 27, 2016, 11:00 AM, Posted by
Michelle Larkin
Every year, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awards its Culture of Health Prize to up to 10 communities across the country. Prizewinners exemplify the importance of locally driven change in the quest to ensure everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, has the opportunity for good health. We say it often: When it comes to building a Culture of Health, the challenges are many and the solutions seldom straightforward. But we’ve got to start somewhere, and for several Prize-winning communities, that somewhere was the annual County Health Rankings.
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Apr 25, 2016, 10:00 PM, Posted by
Lori Grubstein, Paul Kuehnert
Over the last year, public health crises near and far have captured our attention. From contaminated drinking water in Michigan, Colorado and West Virginia, to concerns about the potential Zika exposure throughout much of the Southeastern states, there doesn’t seem to be a day that these public health problems aren’t in the news.
We know that where we live often determines how vulnerable we are to public health disasters. If we want everyone—regardless of what neighborhood, city, or state they live in—to have access to health and well-being, we must work together to combat threats. And we must focus our resources on those that need them most. When we work together, our communities can be resilient and ready for inevitable challenges. Safeguarding and building our health security ensures the collective health and well-being of communities across the nation.
That’s where the National Health Security Preparedness Index comes into play.
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Apr 18, 2016, 9:45 AM, Posted by
Paul Tarini
This $500K competition seeks proposals for studies that will further our understanding of mood and how it relates to daily life.
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Apr 13, 2016, 10:30 AM, Posted by
David Krol
A new recommendation for pediatricians aims to help the one in five children in the United States who live in poverty.
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Apr 11, 2016, 11:00 AM, Posted by
David S. Cohen
If your organization is creating a healthier community through sport, learn about the RWJF Sports Award. Boston-based organization Doc Wayne, a 2015 Sports Award Winner, uses sports to transform the lives of youth suffering from trauma and its emotional aftermath.
Sport has the power to change the world...it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. – Nelson Mandela
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Apr 5, 2016, 11:00 AM, Posted by
Jamie Bussel
Pregnancy through early childhood forms a critical window of opportunity for ensuring children get a healthy start to life.
In March, our program Healthy Eating Research published the most comprehensive examination to date of factors that can increase a child’s risk for obesity early in life. It shows that women who weigh more before they get pregnant, gain excess weight during pregnancy, or use tobacco while pregnant, are more likely to have children who become overweight or obese.
There are a variety of factors beyond prenatal health that also influence a child’s weight. Children form their taste preferences early in life, which is why it’s so important to ensure that they have access to a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains―right when they begin eating solid foods. Play and physical activity are also essential for optimal development. And there’s no reason for young children to drink sugary drinks—milk and water are best. All of these habits, if learned in early childhood, can last a lifetime.
The good news is the country as a whole is making progress in helping more kids start life at a healthy weight: Obesity rates among kids ages 2 to 5 have gone down in recent years.
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