Posts From February 2016 - Prevention Research Center at Tulane University

I just went to see my 6-year-old grandchild play soccer. What an experience that was! Anyway, I looked around the various fields where hundreds of young kids were playing soccer games. And I really felt good, because this is good physical activity. Imagine it. For a football team, only 11 guys make first team, and the rest sit down and watch – not to mention the girls. It's kind of that way with most team…

Staff Spotlight: Carolina Gallop

Food Environment Research , Physical Activity Research , Education & Engagement

Published: February 29, 2016

Meet Carolina Gallop, a Community Health Worker and new staff member at the Tulane Prevention Research Center (PRC). Her work focuses on the center's Movin' for LIFE project, which incorporates various strategies to promote active and healthy lifestyles for residents within the community. Carolina contributes to this research by working within the community to collect information and resources to help improve diets and physical activity in local neighborhoods. Prior to joining the Tulane PRC, Carolina…

Staff Spotlight: Irene Williams

Food Environment Research , Physical Activity Research , Education & Engagement

Published: February 29, 2016

Meet Irene Williams, a Community Health Worker and new staff member at the Tulane Prevention Research Center (PRC). Her work at the center focuses on the Movin' for LIFE project, which includes various strategies to promote active and healthy lifestyles for residents within the community. Irene works within the community by researching and collecting information with the intent to help improve diets and physical activity in local neighborhoods. Prior to joining the Tulane PRC, Irene…

Nutrition Bites: Healthy Lifestyle for Cancer Prevention

Food Environment Research

Published: February 29, 2016

With one-third of all cancer deaths related to poor diet and physical activity, it's no surprise that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key to cancer prevention. In fact, when asked the number one way to prevent cancer, Laura Kerns, a Registered Dietitian at University Medical Center and Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition, keeps it simple, "Eat your fruits and vegetables! Research shows that consuming a plant-based diet with healthy fats, similar to the Mediterranean…

Active Steps: Work It Out at Your Desk with 5 Yoga Poses

Physical Activity Research

Published: February 29, 2016

In today's busy world, in which many people are struggling to balance increased workloads and responsibilities and maintain health, managing stress levels is so important. Fortunately, yoga and meditation is not only for flexible individuals and hippies living in California. Anyone can practice mindful exercises to manage stress and increase energy. Taking just 20 minutes each morning to quiet the mind can help to decrease stress levels and increase focus. Now who doesn't want that?!…

Tulane PRC goes red for Heart Month

Education & Engagement

Published: February 26, 2016

The Tulane Prevention Research Center (PRC) supported National Wear Red Day and American Heart Month in February. Faculty, staff, and students sported red to raise awareness of heart health for all women, men, and children. The Tulane PRC works with partners like the New Orleans Area American Heart Association to help make it easier for communities to make healthy choices and prevent health problems like heart disease and stroke. To see more pictures from Wear…

30th Anniversary: Research and cross-sector partnerships support innovative community health hub ReFresh

Food Environment Research , Special Interest Projects (SIPs) , Education & Engagement

Published: February 26, 2016

Many neighborhoods in New Orleans have historically lacked a full-service grocery store, preventing residents from easily buying healthy foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, according to research from the Tulane Prevention Research Center (Tulane PRC). A 2012 study from the Tulane PRC found that higher quality food environments decrease the risk of obesity and overweight for people living in southeast Louisiana. Another PRC study found that each additional linear meter of store shelf space…

30th Anniversary: Tulane PRC supports school-based nutrition and garden education

Food Environment Research , Education & Engagement

Published: February 26, 2016

Students supported by Edible Schoolyard New Orleans programming are eating more fruits and vegetables than the national average, according to a 2013-14 report by the Tulane Prevention Research Center (PRC). ESYNOLA has been integrating hands-on organic gardening and seasonal cooking into FirstLine Charter school curriculum, culture, and cafeteria programs in New Orleans since 2006. Over the past few years, the Tulane PRC has partnered with ESYNOLA through program evaluation and graduate student intern placement in…

Optimum Performance: Walk your excess weight off - NOLA.com

Physical Activity Research

Published: February 26, 2016

NOLA.com Optimum Performance: Walk your excess weight off NOLA.com In case you're interested, Louisiana ranks fourth as of 2014, with an adult obesity rate of 34.9%. Harvard.edu says, "overweight is defined as a BMI (body mass index, which is a ratio of someone's height and weight) between 25.0 and 29.9; and a BMI of …

Missouri jury awards $72M in Johnson & Johnson cancer suit - 12NewsNow.Com

Special Interest Projects (SIPs)

Published: February 23, 2016

A Missouri jury has awarded $72 million to the family of an Alabama woman who died from ovarian cancer, which she said was caused by using Johnson & Johnson’s well-known baby powder and other products containing talcum. The civil suit by Jackie Fox of Birmingham was part of a broader claim in the city of St. Louis Circuit Court involving nearly 60 people. Her son took over as plaintiff following his mother’s October 2015 death…

Study: Air Pollution Heightens Risk of Obesity and Diabetes - TIME

Special Interest Projects (SIPs) , Education & Engagement

Published: February 22, 2016

Exposure to air pollution was shown to increase the risk of obesity and diabetes in rats, according to a new study. Researchers from Duke University exposed lab rats either to Beijing air or filtered air for 19 days; at the end, the group that got the highly polluted Beijing air had higher bad cholesterol levels (50%), triglycerides (46%) and total cholesterol (97%), factors that can affect the risk of developing obesity and diabetes, United Press…

Pamela Anderson urges Gov. Edwards to eliminate meat from prisons - KATC Lafayette News

Food Environment Research

Published: February 22, 2016

KATC Lafayette News Pamela Anderson urges Gov. Edwards to eliminate meat from prisons KATC Lafayette News If you left meat off menus in the 12 state-run prisons, Louisiana taxpayers would save as much as $620,000 a year. Beans, rice, lentils, pasta, potatoes and other vegetables, and oranges and other fruits have all the nutrients a person needs but at a … and more »

How inequality leads to obesity - The Week Magazine

Food Environment Research

Published: February 09, 2016

The Week Magazine How inequality leads to obesity The Week Magazine Everyone who has ever turned to their friends Ben and Jerry for solace following a break-up is aware that painful emotions often lead to overeating. Yet when discussing the obesity epidemic among low-income families, policymakers tend to focus on more …