With obesity rates of more than 33 percent in the Latino community, local schools and groups are taking steps to help people live healthier and longer.
The annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010 report by the Trust for America’s Health ranks Arizona as the 29th most obese state in the country. The adult racial breakdown of the report states that there is an obesity rate of 33.4 percent among Latinos, 32.5 percent among blacks and 23.3 percent among whites.
Eating healthy can be affordable and time-efficient if one knows where to shop and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Hana Abdulaziz Feeney, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at a South Tucson private office located at 9117 E. Calle Cascada St., said food environment and food marketing are bigger issues than obesity.
“Marketing is directed to take attention away from looking at what is actually in products,” said Feeney. “For example, frosted cereals have health claims on their boxes that do not correspond to the ingredients. So much low quality food is being pushed on consumers.”
Time efficiency also plays a huge factor in the lack of eating healthy. Feeney suggests a simple solution.
“Plan meals on the weekends and shop accordingly,” she said. “Check sales and coupons and plan meals around that. It should take 30 minutes at most.”
Matt Ryan, manager of Desert Sports and Fitness, understands that everyone is on different schedules, but advises regular exercise and portion control to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“Consistency and portion control are very important,” Ryan said. “You should be eating five meals the size of snacks throughout a 12-hour day.”
Jamie Elliott, nutritionist for Sunnyside Unified School District, said students are always given a designated time for lunch in their schedules and that the Arizona Department of Education works to control calories by making meals with properly-sized portions for students.
“Salad bars for students from kindergarten to 12th grade are also always available because it serves as an easy way to get students’ fiber higher,” Elliott said.
Elliott said it is easy to shop for healthy foods on a budget and that some of the healthiest foods in stores are the least expensive.
Feeney agreed. “The most common misconception is that health foods are expensive when really indulgencies are more expensive,” she said. “Pinto beans and any kind of dry beans are really inexpensive and healthy.”
Casa Maria Soup Kitchen tries to provide nutritious food for people in need, though Brian Flagg, a daily volunteer, admits that it can be difficult to achieve because they are dependent on donations.
“The soups make up for the more unhealthy options here because they are filled with vegetables and balances out some of the white sugar or white flour,” he said.
According to Flagg, “food stamps are a joke” because of how difficult it is to obtain them under the welfare reform that President Bill Clinton established in 1996. This reform added many restrictions on federal cash assistance for low-income citizens.
“Food stamps and general assistance are things of the past and even if you have food stamps they do not last longer than three years,” Flagg said. “More people are depending on places like Casa Maria because of this.”
Flagg recommends shopping for groceries at Food City because the South Sixth Avenue store provides good sales, tends to give back to the community and employs many people from South Tucson.
Ryan and Feeney pointed out that no healthy diet will be successful without exercise.
In South Tucson, a membership to Desert Sports and Fitness ranges from $25 to $32 per month. Ryan ensures that the staff is well-informed and willing to share with members easy ways to balance nutrition with exercise.
There are many alternatives for productive workouts besides joining a gym, said Marni Mendelsohn, a yoga instructor at the University of Arizona. Mendelsohn recommends searching YouTube for workout videos.
“Simply running or jogging in parks and hiking can make huge difference and work out many muscles at once,” Mendelsohn said. “Just make sure to do things at your own pace.”
With obesity rates of more than 33 percent in the Latino community, local schools and groups are taking steps to help people live healthier and longer.
The annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010 report by the Trust for America’s Health ranks Arizona as the 29th most obese state in the country. The adult racial breakdown of the report states that there is an obesity rate of 33.4 percent among Latinos, 32.5 percent among blacks and 23.3 percent among whites.
Eating healthy can be affordable and time-efficient if one knows where to shop and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Hana Abdulaziz Feeney, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at a South Tucson private office located at 9117 E. Calle Cascada St., said food environment and food marketing are bigger issues than obesity.
“Marketing is directed to take attention away from looking at what is actually in products,” said Feeney. “For example, frosted cereals have health claims on their boxes that do not correspond to the ingredients. So much low quality food is being pushed on consumers.”
Time efficiency also plays a huge factor in the lack of eating healthy. Feeney suggests a simple solution.
“Plan meals on the weekends and shop accordingly,” she said. “Check sales and coupons and plan meals around that. It should take 30 minutes at most.”
Matt Ryan, manager of Desert Sports and Fitness, understands that everyone is on different schedules, but advises regular exercise and portion control to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“Consistency and portion control are very important,” Ryan said.“You should be eating five meals the size of snacks throughout a 12-hour day.”
Jamie Elliott, nutritionist for Sunnyside Unified School District, said students are always given a designated time for lunch in their schedules and that the Arizona Department of Education works to control calories by making meals with properly-sized portions for students.
“Salad bars for students from kindergarten to 12th grade are also always available because it serves as an easy way to get students’ fiber higher,” Elliott said.
Elliott said it is easy to shop for healthy foods on a budget and that some of the healthiest foods in stores are the least expensive.
Feeney agreed. “The most common misconception is that health foods are expensive when really indulgencies are more expensive,” she said. “Pinto beans and any kind of dry beans are really inexpensive and healthy.”
Casa Maria Soup Kitchen tries to provide nutritious food for people in need, though Brian Flagg, a daily volunteer, admits that it can be difficult to achieve because they are dependent on donations.
“The soups make up for the more unhealthy options here because they are filled with vegetables and balances out some of the white sugar or white flour,” he said.
According to Flagg, “food stamps are a joke” because of how difficult it is to obtain them under the welfare reform that President Bill Clinton established in 1996. This reform added many restrictions on federal cash assistance for low-income citizens.
“Food stamps and general assistance are things of the past and even if you have food stamps they do not last longer than three years,” Flagg said. “More people are depending on places like Casa Maria because of this.”
Flagg recommends shopping for groceries at Food City because the South Sixth Avenue store provides good sales, tends to give back to the community and employs many people from South Tucson.
Ryan and Feeney pointed out that no healthy diet will be successful without exercise.
In South Tucson, a membership to Desert Sports and Fitness ranges from $25 to $32 per month. Ryan ensures that the staff is well-informed and willing to share with members easy ways to balance nutrition with exercise.
There are many alternatives for productive workouts besides joining a gym, said Marni Mendelsohn, a yoga instructor at the University of Arizona. Mendelsohn recommends searching YouTube for workout videos.
“Simply running or jogging in parks and hiking can make huge difference and work out many muscles at once,” Mendelsohn said. “Just make sure to do things at your own pace.”
