Press Releases Archive - Page 13 of 31

New Maps Track Laws Related to Tobacco Pricing Strategies and Syringe Service Programs in US

(Philadelphia, Pa – Novermber 19, 2019) Two new maps published to LawAtlas.org today — syringe service programs (SSPs) and tobacco pricing strategies — offer a comprehensive look at US laws that address tobacco pricing strategies and access to clean syringes through syringe service programs.

“States have a vital role to play in promoting the health and well-being of their residents. These datasets, along with other resources produced under the Promoting Health and Cost Control (PHACCS) in States initiative, will provide decisionmakers, advocates, and other key stakeholders with the evidence and business case for the adoption of policies that have been shown to improve community health,” said Adam Lustig, MS, Manager and Co-Principal Investigator of the PHACCS initiative.

The maps are the first two legal data resources in a new series created and maintained by the Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law (CPHLR) with the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

Researchers from the Center used the scientific policy surveillance process in collaboration with experts from TFAH to provide states with detailed information about the current state of US laws that could be used to improve community health through cost-saving policy changes.

“You must first measure a policy to understand its impact on health and cost. These maps give policymakers, advocates, practitioners and other stakeholders a comprehensive look into what these laws say and how the nuanced characteristics differ across the US,” said Lindsay Cloud, JD, Director of the Policy Surveillance Program at CPHLR. “The policy surveillance process we use is the gold standard for legal research because it creates objective, detailed legal data that can be used for evaluation and provides a clear visual to identifying gaps and areas for policy improvement.”

The project will include 13 datasets on a variety of public health topics through the end of 2020, ranging from universal pre-kindergarten and school nutrition standards, to housing and economic policies like the Earned Income Tax Credit and paid sick and family leave laws. The laws displayed were in effect as of August 1, 2019.

The two datasets released today, on syringe service programs and tobacco pricing strategies, represent two of the harm reduction-focused datasets in the series.

Syringe Service Programs

Syringe service program (SSP) policies authorize the legal sale and exchange of sterile syringes, and are one of the most effective and scientifically-based methods for reducing the spread of HIV and Hepatitis. This legal map identifies where SSPs have been explicitly authorized by the law, legal exemptions for individuals who access SSPs if they’re in possession of paraphernalia if stopped by law enforcement, and additional services an SSP must provide directly or through referrals.

Some key findings from this dataset include:

31 states have passed laws that explicitly authorize SSPs. This number has nearly doubled since 2014 (18 states as of August 1, 2014).
In four of the 31 states – Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, and Maine – the law requires a one-for-one exchange of syringes.
In three states – Colorado, Georgia and Ohio – SSPs are also required to provide HIV and Hepatitis screenings.

Tobacco Pricing Strategies

Tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke are leading causes of preventable death in the US. One strategy to decrease tobacco use and promote quitting is to increase the price of tobacco products. This legal map details US laws that apply taxes or set pricing limits for tobacco products, like traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and others.

Some key findings from this dataset include:

All 50 states and the District of Columbia tax cigarettes.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia have taxes on non-cigarette tobacco products.
14 states and the District of Columbia also tax e-cigarettes, either by taxing the device, the liquid, or both.
31 states and the District of Columbia prohibit selling cigarettes, non-cigarette tobacco products, or both below cost.
32 states preempt local taxation of tobacco, either through explicit prohibitions on local tobacco taxation or through general limitations on the power of local governments to impose their own excise taxes.

Trust for America’s Health is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community and makes the prevention of illness and injury a national priority. Learn more at www.tfah.org

The Center for Public Health Law Research at the Temple University Beasley School of Law supports the widespread adoption of scientific tools and methods for mapping and evaluating the impact of law on health. Learn more at http://phlr.org

Adolescent Suicide Up 87 Percent Over Last Decade; LGBT and American Indian/Alaskan Native Teens at Highest Risk

Vaping among teens also increasing at an alarming rate.

(Washington, DC and Oakland, CA – October 29, 2019) – Adolescent suicides have spiked over the last decade and substance misuse including vaping is exacting a heavy toll on teens according to a report released today by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and Well Being Trust (WBT).

The report, Addressing a Crisis: Cross-Sector Strategies to Prevent Adolescent Substance Misuse and Suicide finds that, while progress has been made in reducing some risky behaviors, adolescent suicide and substance misuse rates remain high and in some cases are climbing. The report calls for the expansion of evidence-based and cross-sector strategies in order to save lives.

Suicide rates among 12- to 19-year-olds have increased 87 percent between 2007 and 2017 (when the most recent data is available) – making suicide the second leading cause of death among adolescents. In 2017, 7.4 percent of high schoolers nationwide attempted suicide within the preceding 12 months – a 17 percent increase from the previous year. Nearly 3,000 12- to 19-year-olds died by suicide in 2017.

“We know strategies that are proven to work and can improve mental health and well-being among our young people,” said Benjamin F. Miller, PsyD, chief strategy officer, WBT. “From Zero Suicide to Youth Mental Health First Aid to LifeSkills Training programs and dozens of other initiatives, there are solutions out there – why this is not the first question of every Presidential debate, prioritized in Congress, and in every state legislature is beyond me. Our country has failed to devote the time, energy, and resources to our youth.”

An additional area of concern threatening youth well-being is vaping—with rates of use among adolescents climbing dramatically. In just one year, 2017 to 2018, e-cigarette use by high school students increased by 78 percent and by 48 percent among middle school students. More teens are also reporting vaping marijuana.

While there is some good news – rates of illicit or injection and prescription drug use among adolescents have declined or held steady among 12- to 17-year-olds since 2002 – but those rates are still too high and cause serious harm and disruption to young lives. In 2017, 5,455 young people between the ages of 15 to 24 died due to a drug overdose.

Alcohol use among adolescents has also declined. Past month alcohol use among 12- to 17-year-olds declined from 18 percent in 2002 to 10 percent in 2017 and lifetime alcohol use among high school students has declined from 82 percent in 1991 to 60 percent in 2017.

Substance misuse and suicide disproportionately affect adolescents from certain population groups

Of additional concern are large disparities in substance misuse rates and suicide based on teens’ race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation/gender identification or where they live. Most striking is the high risk for substance misuse and suicide-related behaviors among gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents. Forty-eight percent of gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents report considering or attempting suicide as compared to 13 percent of their heterosexual peers. These high rates of suicide risk for sexual minority teens are likely due to stressors they experience including discrimination, bullying, violence and family rejection, according to the report.

American Indian/Alaskan Native teens experience the highest rates of suicide among any race and ethnicity in the United States: 16 suicides per 100,000 15- to 19-years-olds in 2016 – a rate 60 percent higher than the national average for all teens. The high rates of substance misuse and suicide among American Indian/Alaskan Native teens are likely associated with the historical and intergenerational trauma experienced by their community as well as the lack of education and economic opportunities typically available to them.

Solutions do exist and need implementation

Adolescence is a critical juncture in teens’ lives. This report highlights the many opportunities to set youth on healthy pathways be increasing the life circumstances that protect them from harm.

The report highlights dozens of evidence-based programs in place in communities across the country that help reduce risk and build protective factors in teens’ lives by strengthening families, providing counseling and mentorship, teaching social and emotional skills, fostering connectedness, particularly in schools, and working across sectors. Most importantly, addressing the factors that create or reduce risk for substance misuse or mental health issues will not only reduce negative impact on teens’ health, it will also improve outcomes in other sectors such as high school graduation rates or involvement with the juvenile justice system.

“Adolescence is a challenging time when the impact of poverty, discrimination, bullying and isolation can be intense,” said John Auerbach, President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health. ” Fortunately, there are policies and programs that can reduce some of these circumstances and the risks associated with them by strengthening teens’ coping and emotional skills – skills that can improve their health and lead to their succeeding in school.”

Recommendations for programs and policy actions

The report includes recommendations for policy actions at the federal, state and local level.

Among the specific recommendations are:

The federal government and state legislatures should create and/or scale up policies that support families including increases to federal and state earned income tax credits and programs that provide access to health insurance and affordable housing.
Congress should increase funding for substance misuse and suicide prevention including Project AWARE and the Garrett Lee Smith State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Grant program.
States should expand Medicaid services in schools using flexible models such as school-employed providers, school-based health centers and telehealth.
Congress should increase investments in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health.
All youth-serving systems should adopt trauma-informed and culturally competent policies and practices and should engage youth leaders in program development.
Federal, state and local efforts to improve school safety should include strategies to prevent school violence by investing in safe and supportive school environments and mental health services.
Public and private funders should incentivize strategies that address common risk/protective factors across all adolescent serving sectors.

The report is part of the TFAH/WBT Pain in the Nation publication series, launched in 2017 and examining substance misuse and suicide trends and evidence-based policies and programs in an effort to promote a comprehensive approach to solving the nation’s deaths of despair crisis. The report series is designed to focus attention on the need for national resilience strategy.

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Trust for America’s Health is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community and makes the prevention of illness and injury a national priority. Twitter: @healthyamerica1

Well Being Trust is a national foundation dedicated to advancing the mental, social, and spiritual health of the nation. Created to include participation from organizations across sectors and perspectives, Well Being Trust is committed to innovating and addressing the most critical mental health challenges facing America, and to transforming individual and community well-being. www.wellbeingtrust.org. Twitter: @WellBeingTrust.

U.S. Obesity Rates at Historic Highs – Nine States Reach Adult Obesity Rates of 35 Percent or More

Report Calls for Sugary Drink Taxes, Expanded SNAP and WIC Nutrition Support Programs and a built environment that encourages physical activity to Help Address Health Crisis

(Washington, DC – September 12, 2019) – Nine U.S. states had adult obesity rates above 35 percent in 2018, up from seven states at that level in 2017, an historic level of obesity in the U.S., according to the 16^th annual State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report released today by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

The report based in part on newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and analysis by TFAH, provides an annual snapshot of obesity rates nationwide. The State of Obesity series and this report were made possible by funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Obesity has serious health consequences including increased risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and many types of cancers. Obesity is estimated to increase national healthcare spending by $149 billion annually (about half of which is paid for by Medicare and Medicaid) and being overweight or obese is the most common reason young adults are ineligible for military service.

Obesity rates vary considerably between states with Mississippi and West Virginia having the highest level of adult obesity in the nation at 39.5 percent and Colorado having the lowest rate at 23.0 percent.

For the first time, adult obesity rates were above 35 percent in nine states in 2018: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and West Virginia.

As recently as 2012, no state had an adult obesity rate over 35 percent and within the last five years (2013 and 2018) 33 states had statistically significant increases in their rates of adult obesity.

“These latest data shout that our national obesity crisis is getting worse,” said John Auerbach, President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health. “They tell us that almost 50 years into the upward curve of obesity rates we haven’t yet found the right mix of programs to stop the epidemic. Isolated programs and calls for life-style changes aren’t enough. Instead, our report highlights the fundamental changes that are needed in the social and economic conditions that make it challenging for people to eat healthy foods and get sufficient exercise.”

Differential Impact Amongst Minority Populations

The report highlights that obesity levels are closely tied to social and economic conditions and that individuals with lower incomes are more at risk. People of color, who are more likely to live in neighborhoods with few options for healthy foods and physical activity, and, are the target of widespread marketing of unhealthy foods, are at elevated risk.

As of 2015-2016, the latest available data, nearly half of Latino (47 percent) and Black adults (46.8) had obesity while adult obesity rates among White and Asian adults were 37.9 percent and 12.7 percent respectively. Incidence of childhood obesity was highest amongst Latino children at 25.8 percent while 22 percent of Black children had obesity, 14 percent of White children had obesity and 11 percent of Asian children had obesity.

What Could Work?

While the obesity rates are alarming, there are new data offering the promise of policies that combat the epidemic, namely promoting healthier food for children through revamped WIC food packages and fostering behavior change through taxes on sugary drinks.

Obesity rates for children enrolled in WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) continue to decline, from 15.9 percent in 2010 to 13.9 percent in 2016. In 2009, the USDA updated WIC food packages to more closely meet recommended national dietary guidelines including the addition of more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and reduced fat levels in milk and infant formula. A Los Angeles County study published this year found that 4-year-olds who had received the revised WIC food package since birth had reduced risk for obesity.
A number of U.S. cities and the Navajo Nation have passed local taxes on sugary drinks that are showing promise as a means to change consumers’ beverage habits. Studies of a 1-cent per ounce tax in Berkeley, California and a 1.5 cent per ounce tax in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania found that the consumption of sugary drinks decreased significantly after the tax was imposed.

“Policies such as these are proving effective in changing behavior. But, no single solution – however promising – is sufficient. Obesity is a complex problem and will need multi-sector, multi-factor solutions,” said TFAH’s Auerbach.

“Creating the conditions that allow people to more easily make healthy choices is central to preventing obesity, as is prioritizing investment in those communities most affected by the crisis,” Auerbach said.

Recommendations for Policy Action

The report includes 31 recommendations for policy action by federal, state and local government, across several sectors, designed to improve access to nutritious foods and provide safe opportunities for physical activity, while minimizing harmful marketing and advertising tactics.

Among the report’s recommendations for policies to address the obesity crisis are:

Expand the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to age 6 for children and for two years postpartum for mothers and fully fund the WIC breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program.
Increase the price of sugary drinks through excise taxes and use the revenue to address health and socioeconomic disparities.
Ensure that CDC has enough funding to grant every state appropriate funding to implement evidence-based obesity prevention strategies (currently, CDC only has enough funding to work with 16 states).
Make it more difficult to market unhealthy food to children by ending federal tax loopholes and business costs deductions related to the advertising of such foods to young audiences.
Fully fund the Student Support and Academic Enrichment program and other federal programs that support student physical education.
Encourage safe physical activity by funding Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS), Complete Streets, Vision Zero and other pedestrian safety initiatives through federal transportation and infrastructure funding.
Ensure that anti-hunger and nutrition-assistance programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), WIC, and others follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and make access to nutritious food a core program tenet.
Strengthen and expand school nutrition programs beyond federal standards to include universal meals, flexible breakfasts and eliminate all unhealthy food marketing to students.
Enforce existing laws that direct most health insurers to cover obesity-related preventive services at no-cost sharing to patients.
Cover evidence-based comprehensive pediatric weight management programs and services in Medicaid.

State by State rates of adult obesity – highest to lowest

Tie: Mississippi and West Virginia (39.5%), 3. Arkansas (37.1%), 4. Louisiana (36.8%), 5. Kentucky (36.6%), 6. Alabama (36.2%), 7. Iowa (35.3%), 8. North Dakota (35.1%), 9. Missouri, (35.0%), 10. – Tie: Oklahoma and Texas (34.8%), 12. – Tie: Kansas and Tennessee (34.4%), 14. South Carolina (34.3 %), 15. – Tie: Indiana and Nebraska (34.1%), 17. Ohio (34.0%), 18. Delaware (33.5%), 19 – Tie: Michigan, North Carolina (33.0), 21. Georgia (32.5%), 22. New Mexico (32.3%), 23. Wisconsin (32.0%), 24. Illinois (31.8%), 25. – Tie: Maryland and Pennsylvania (30.9%), 27. Florida (30.7%), 28 – Tie: Maine and Virginia (30.4%), 30. Tie: Minnesota and South Dakota (30.1%), 32. Oregon (29.9 %), 33. New Hampshire (29.6%), 34. Three-way Tie: Alaska, Arizona and Nevada (29.5%), 37. Wyoming (29.0%), 38. Washington (28.7%), 39. Idaho (28.4%), 40. Utah (27.8%), 41. Rhode Island (27.7%), 42. New York (27.6%), 43. Vermont (27.5%), 44. Connecticut (27.4%), 45. Montana (26.9%), 46. California (25.8%), 47. – Tie: Massachusetts and New Jersey (25.7%), 49. Hawaii (24.9%), 50. District of Columbia (24.7%), 51. Colorado (23.0%).

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Trust for America’s Health is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community and makes the prevention of illness and injury a national priority. www.tfah.org. Twitter: @healthyamerica1

Tasas de obesidad en Estados Unidos con altos récords históricos

Nueve estados alcanzan tasas de obesidad en adultos superiores al 35 por ciento

El Reporte demanda por Impuestos para las Bebidas Azucaradas, Programas Ampliados de Apoyo Nutricional SNAP y WIC y un entorno que fomente la actividad física para ayudar a abordar la crisis de salud

(Washington, DC) – 12 de septiembre de 2019 – Nueve estados de EE. UU. Tenían tasas de obesidad en adultos superiores al 35 por ciento en 2018, en comparación con siete estados en ese nivel en 2017, un nivel histórico de obesidad en los EE. UU., Según el 16 ° Estado anual de Obesidad: mejores políticas para un informe más saludable de América publicado hoy por el Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

El informe basado en parte en datos recientemente publicados del Sistema de Vigilancia del Factor de Riesgo del Comportamiento (BRFSS, por su sigla en ingles) de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades, y el análisis realizado por TFAH, proporciona las tasas de obesidad anuales en todo el país. La serie El estado de la obesidad y este informe fueron posibles gracias a el financiamiento de la Fundación Robert Wood Johnson.

La obesidad tiene graves consecuencias para la salud, incluido un mayor riesgo de diabetes tipo 2, presión arterial alta, accidente cerebrovascular y muchos tipos de cáncer. Se estima que la obesidad aumenta el gasto nacional en atención médica en $ 149 billones anuales (aproximadamente la mitad de lo cual es pagado por Medicare y Medicaid) y el sobrepeso y la obesidad es la razón más común por la que los adultos jóvenes no son elegibles para el servicio militar.

Las tasas de obesidad varían considerablemente entre los estados, con Mississippi y West Virginia con el nivel más alto de obesidad en adultos en la nación con 39.5 por ciento y Colorado con la tasa más baja con 23.0 por ciento.

Por primera vez, las tasas de obesidad en adultos superaron el 35 por ciento en nueve estados en 2018: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Dakota del Norte y Virginia Occidental.

No muy lejos atrás en el 2012, ningún estado tenía una tasa de obesidad en adultos superior al 35 por ciento y en los últimos cinco años (2013 y 2018) 33 estados tuvieron incrementos estadísticamente significativos en sus tasas de obesidad en adultos.

“Estos últimos datos indican que nuestra crisis nacional de obesidad está empeorando”, dijo John Auerbach, presidente y director ejecutivo de Trust for America’s Health. “Nos dicen que casi 50 años después de la curva ascendente de las tasas de obesidad todavía no hemos encontrado la combinación correcta de programas para detener la epidemia”. Los programas aislados y los llamados a cambios en el estilo de vida no son suficientes. En cambio, nuestro informe destaca los cambios fundamentales que se necesitan en las condiciones sociales y económicas que hacen que sea difícil para las personas comer alimentos saludables y hacer suficiente ejercicio “.

Impacto diferencial entre las poblaciones minoritarias

El informe destaca que los niveles de obesidad están estrechamente vinculados a las condiciones socioeconómicas. Las personas con ingresos más bajos están más en riesgo. Las comunidades de color, que tienen más probabilidades de vivir en vecindarios con pocas opciones de alimentos saludables y actividad física, y que a menudo son el objetivo de una comercialización generalizada de alimentos poco saludables, también tienen un riesgo elevado.

A partir de 2015-2016, casi la mitad de los adultos latinos (47 por ciento) y los adultos negros (46.8) tenían obesidad, mientras que las tasas de obesidad entre adultos blancos y asiáticos fueron de 37.9 por ciento y 12.7 por ciento respectivamente. La incidencia de obesidad también fue más alta entre los niños latinos con un 25.8 por ciento, mientras que el 22 por ciento de los niños negros tienen obesidad, el 14 por ciento de los niños blancos tienen obesidad y el 11 por ciento de los niños asiáticos tienen obesidad.

¿Qué podría funcionar?

Si bien las tasas de obesidad son alarmantes, hay nuevos datos que ofrecen la promesa de políticas que combaten la obesidad, como promover alimentos más saludables para los niños a través de paquetes de alimentos renovados de WIC y fomentar el cambio de comportamiento a través de impuestos sobre las bebidas azucaradas.

Las tasas de obesidad para los niños inscritos en WIC (Programa Especial de Nutrición Suplementaria para Mujeres, Bebés y Niños) continúa disminuyendo, de 15.9 por ciento en 2010 a 13.9 por ciento en 2016. En 2009, el Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA, por su siglas en inglés) actualizó los paquetes de alimentos de WIC para cumplir más estrechamente con las recomendaciones nacionales. pautas dietéticas que incluyen la adición de más frutas, verduras y granos integrales y niveles reducidos de grasa en la leche y la fórmula infantil. Un estudio del condado de Los Ángeles publicado este año encontró que los niños de 4 años que habían recibido el paquete de alimentos WIC revisado desde su nacimiento habían reducido los riegos de padecer obesidad.
Varias ciudades de EE. UU. Y la Nación Navajo han aprobado impuestos locales sobre las bebidas azucaradas que se muestran prometedoras como un medio para cambiar los hábitos de bebidas de los consumidores. Los estudios de un impuesto de 1 centavo por onza en Berkeley, California y un impuesto de 1,5 centavos por onza en Filadelfia, Pensilvania, encontraron que el consumo de bebidas azucaradas disminuyó significativamente después de la imposición del impuesto.

“Políticas como estas están demostrando ser efectivas para cambiar el comportamiento. Pero, ninguna solución única, por prometedora que sea, es suficiente. La obesidad es un problema complejo y necesitará soluciones multisectoriales y multifactoriales “, dijo Auerbach de TFAH.

“Crear las condiciones que permitan a las personas tomar decisiones saludables con mayor facilidad es fundamental para prevenir la obesidad, al igual que priorizar la inversión en las comunidades más afectadas por la crisis”, dijo Auerbach.

Recomendaciones para la acción política

El informe incluye 31 recomendaciones para la acción política del gobierno federal, estatal y local, en varios sectores, diseñado para mejorar el acceso a alimentos nutritivos y proporcionar oportunidades seguras para la actividad física, al tiempo que minimiza las tácticas perjudiciales de marketing y publicidad.

Entre las recomendaciones del informe para las políticas para abordar la crisis de obesidad están:

Ampliar el Programa Especial de Nutrición Suplementaria para Mujeres, Bebés y Niños (WIC) a los 6 años para niños y durante dos años después del parto para las madres y financiar completamente el Programa de Orientación de Pares de WIC para la lactancia materna.
Aumentar el precio de las bebidas azucaradas mediante impuestos especiales y utilizar los ingresos para abordar las disparidades socioeconómicas y de salud.
Asegurarse de que los CDC tengan los recursos suficientes para otorgar a cada estado fondos apropiados para implementar estrategias de prevención de la obesidad basadas en evidencia (actualmente, los CDC solo tienen fondos suficientes para trabajar con 16 estados).
Hacer que sea más difícil comercializar alimentos no saludables para los niños al poner fin a los vacíos fiscales federales y las deducciones de costos comerciales relacionados con la publicidad de dichos alimentos para el público joven.
Financiar completamente el programa de Apoyo al Estudiante y Enriquecimiento Académico y otros programas federales que apoyan la educación física del estudiante.
Fomentar la actividad física segura mediante la financiación de Rutas Seguras a las Escuelas (SRTS), Complete Streets, Vision Zero y otras iniciativas de seguridad para peatones a través de fondos federales de infraestructura y transporte.
Asegurar de que los programas contra el hambre y la asistencia nutricional, como el Programa de Nutrición Suplementaria (SNAP), WIC y otros, sigan las Pautas dietéticas para estadounidenses y hagan del acceso a alimentos nutritivos un principio básico del programa.
Fortalecer y expandir los programas de nutrición escolar más allá de los estándares federales para incluir comidas universales, desayunos flexibles y eliminar todo el mercadeo de alimentos poco saludables para los estudiantes.
Hacer cumplir las leyes existentes que ordenan a la mayoría de las aseguradoras de salud que cubran los servicios preventivos relacionados con la obesidad sin costo compartido para los pacientes.
Cubrir el manejo del programa integral del peso pediátrico basado en evidencia y servicios en Medicaid.

Tasas de obesidad adulta por estado, de mayor a menor:

1. (Empatados): Mississippi and Virginia Occidental (39.5%), Arkansas (37.1%), 4. Louisiana (36.8%), 5. Kentucky (36.6%), 6. Alabama (36.2%), 7. Iowa (35.3%), 8. Dakota del Norte (35.1%), 9. Missouri, (35.0%), 10. – Empatados: Oklahoma and Texas (34.8%), 12. – Empatados: Kansas and Tennessee (34.4%), 14. Carolina del Sur (34.3 %), 15. – : Indiana and Nebraska (34.1%), 17. Ohio (34.0%), 18. Delaware (33.5%), 19 – Empatados: Michigan, Carolina del Norte (33.0), 21. Georgia (32.5%), 22. Nuevo Mexico (32.3%), 23. Wisconsin (32.0%), 24. Illinois (31.8%), 25. – Empatados: Maryland and Pennsylvania (30.9%), 27. Florida (30.7%), 28 – Empatados: Maine and Virginia (30.4%), 30. Empatados: Minnesota and Dakota del Sur (30.1%), 32. Oregon (29.9 %), 33. New Hampshire (29.6%), 34. Empatados: Alaska, Arizona and Nevada (29.5%), 37. Wyoming (29.0%), 38. Washington (28.7%), 39. Idaho (28.4%), 40. Utah (27.8%), 41. Rhode Island (27.7%), 42. Nueva York (27.6%), 43. Vermont (27.5%), 44. Connecticut (27.4%), 45. Montana (26.9%), 46. California (25.8%), 47. – Empatados: Massachusetts and Nueva Jersey (25.7%), 49. Hawaii (24.9%), 50. Districto de Columbia (24.7%), 51. Colorado (23.0%).

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Trust for America’s Health es una organización sin fines de lucro y no partidista que promueve la salud óptima para cada persona y comunidad y hace de la prevención de enfermedades una prioridad nacional. WWW.tfah.org

More Millennials Are Dying ‘Deaths of Despair,’ as Overdose and Suicide Rate Climb

Time
by Jamie Ducharme
June 13, 2019

There’s been a marked uptick in so-called deaths of despair—those involving drugs, alcohol or suicide—among millennials over the last decade, according to a new report released by public-health groups Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust.

Drug, alcohol and suicide deaths have risen in nearly every age group over the last decade, but the increase has been especially pronounced for younger Americans. Between 2007 and 2017, drug-related deaths increased by 108% among adults ages 18 to 34, while alcohol-related deaths increased by 69% and suicides increased by 35%, according to the report, which drew on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. All together, about 36,000 millennials died “deaths of despair” in 2017, with fatal drug overdoses being the biggest driver.

Read the full article.

Millennial Generation Deaths Due to Drug Misuse up 400 percent since 1999; Deaths from Drugs and Suicide at All-time Highs

New issue brief provides solutions for stopping deaths of despair among Millennials

(Washington, DC and Oakland, California June 13, 2019 ) – Young adult deaths due to alcohol and drug misuse and suicide have increased precipitously among 18- to 34-year-olds during the last two decades, including a 400 percent increase in drug-related deaths, fueled in large part by the opioid crisis, according to a new issue brief released today by Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust.

The report, which analyzed CDC data, found that between 1999 and 2017, opioid overdose death rates among Millennials increased by more than 500 percent. During the same period, synthetic opioid death rates increased by a staggering 6,000 percent. The age group’s overall increase in drug deaths between 1999 and 2017 was 400 percent.

During the past decade (2007 – 2017), among people 18-34, alcohol-induced deaths increased by 69 percent, drug induced deaths increased by 108 percent and suicide deaths increased by 35 percent.

And, from 2016-2017, for 18- to 34-year-olds, drug-induced deaths increased 10 percent and suicide deaths were up 7 percent. Alcohol-induced deaths for the year were down by 4 percent but as noted above are up sharply for the decade.

“The huge increases in the numbers of Millennials being lost to substance misuse and suicide is a national tragedy,” said John Auerbach, President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health. “As a nation, we need to pay particular attention to the lived experience of the Millennial generation. They are young parents, many have burdensome levels of educational debt, they are more than one-third of today’s workforce and comprise the largest proportion of Americans serving in the military. Unfortunately, they also comprise the largest portion of people in prison. They are grappling with economic, health and social challenges unique to their generation. There is a critical need for targeted programs that address Millennials’ health, well-being and economic opportunity.”

The issue brief focuses on five issues areas that must be considered in any efforts to stem the tide of deaths of despair among young adults, they are the need to: 1) prioritize childhood risk and protective factors and emphasize prevention in the developmental years in order to put today’s children on a pathway that will allow them to become thriving adults, 2) ensure access to mental health and substance misuse treatment services, 3) address health inequities, 4) recognize the multigenerational impact of alcohol and drug misuse and suicide and 5) improve substance use disorders treatment within the criminal justice system.

The Millennial generation, typically defined as people born between 1981 and 1996 are today 23 to 38 years of age. Millennials continue to face a mix of challenges unique to their generation including the exploding costs of education and housing and beginning and growing their careers during the great recession and the opioid crisis. Another critical element of the issue brief’s focus on Millennials is the fact that many are parents of young children and their alcohol or drug misuse or poor mental health often has serious impacts on multiple generations of their family.

“There’s not a segment of the population that isn’t experiencing loneliness and despair,” said Benjamin F. Miller, PsyD, chief strategy officer, Well Being Trust. “We must address issues that matter– tackling the obstacles that prevent people from having a healthy and fulfilling life and upholding our responsibility to improve the health and well-being of our communities. No place is this more apparent than with Millennials—those who have and are about to have families of their own. If we fail Millennials, we’re failing the next generation and we’ll not break this cycle of despair.”

According to the issue brief, new and specific interventions aimed at reducing these deaths of despair amongst young adults are critically needed, notably including these 10:

Ensuring behavioral healthcare, including screenings, are a routine part of primary care and that everyone has access to such care. Care must be culturally competent.
Barriers to treatment like the lack of providers in rural areas or the need for more residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women should be addressed by growing the Federal Behavioral Workforce Education Program, greater use of telemedicine and increasing student loan repayment programs for practitioners working in underserved areas.
Behavioral health screening and referral services should be readily available at all colleges, universities, technical training facilities and reproductive health clinics.
Health insurance and Medicaid coverage for medication-based treatments for substance misuse disorders should be increased.
Wider implementation of suicide prevention programs, such as the Zero Suicide Initiative, is needed throughout the healthcare system. All hospitals should ensure that any patient in crisis is connected with behavioral health services in a timely manner.
States and localities should use pricing strategies to limit the consumption of alcohol by adolescents and young adults.
Federal and state governments should prioritize the implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act to support prevention services for families in crisis and to reduce foster care placements.
Hospitals and birthing centers should screen new mothers for substance misuse disorders at delivery.
Drug and mental health courts should be created in all states and federal districts. When appropriate, people with substance misuse disorders should receive mandatory treatment as part of their incarceration and be connected to in-community treatment services upon their release.
Transition programs to assist veterans returning to civilian life should be readily available.

The Trust for America’s Health/Well Being Trust Pain in the Nation publication series was launched in 2017 and examines substance misuse and suicide trends and evidence-based policies and programs in an effort to promote a comprehensive approach to solving the nation’s deaths of despair crisis. The issue brief series is designed to focus attention on the need for a national resilience strategy.

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Trust for America’s Health is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community and makes the prevention of illness and injury a national priority. Twitter: @healthyamerica1

Well Being Trust is a national foundation dedicated to advancing the mental, social, and spiritual health of the nation. Created to include participation from organizations across sectors and perspectives, Well Being Trust is committed to innovating and addressing the most critical mental health challenges facing America, and to transforming individual and community well-being. www.wellbeingtrust.org. Twitter: @WellBeingTrust

TFAH Applauds Passage of Critical Preparedness Legislation

Adopting the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act Supports the Nation’s Health Security

(Washington, DC) – John Auerbach, president and CEO, of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) today made the following statement regarding the congressional passage of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation (PAHPAI) Act.

“Trust for America’s Health applauds Congress for working in a bipartisan manner to pass important legislation to advance our nation’s health security. The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act shows that we are learning the lessons from recent disasters and disease outbreaks and addressing ongoing challenges. Passage of this legislation, was a top recommendation in TFAH’s recent report, Ready or Not: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism.

During the Zika outbreak, it took about nine months to approve emergency supplemental funding. And recent severe weather showed that we are still not prepared for a worst-case scenario event. In this legislation, lawmakers try to address some of the gaps that these events exposed. The bill makes it easier to get money out more efficiently to address a public health emergency. It codifies the roles of federal agencies in managing important preparedness programs and ensures we are consistently improving the performance of awardees. It supports outbreak detection through workforce and strategy enhancements. It reauthorizes programs for research, development and stockpiling of medical countermeasures and seeks to speed the capability to deploy those products.

Public health and health care are at the frontlines in responding to health crises large and small. The fact that Congress passed this bill is acknowledgement that health security is national security.

Now, we call on Congress to give this legislation the teeth it needs by providing adequate funding for these critical public health programs.”

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Assisting States in Considering Evidence-Based and Promising Policies to Advance Health, Well-being, and Opportunity

Journal of Public Health Management & Practice
by Adam Lustig, MS and Marilyn Cabrera, MPH
July /August 2019

Public health professional across the country face numerous challenges on a day-to-day basis. To identify and implement evidence-based programs, they often have to capture the attention of their busy elected or appointed supervisors and convince them of the value of their work during their term, the public health professional may be in a bind. Research has shown that investments in public health spending can be attributed to drops in mortality rates; however, these results often take years or even decades to materialize.

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TFAH President and CEO Testifies Before the House Energy & Commerce Committee on the Importance of Investing in the Nation’s Public Health

May 22, 2019

“Investing in the nation’s health means we are investing in the future.” – John Auerbach, TFAH President and CEO.

John Auerbach, President, and CEO of Trust for America’s Health, testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday on the need for greater investments in the nation’s public health infrastructure through provisions in the Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America (LIFT America Act). Mr. Auerbach’s testimony focused on the need for increased funding of critical public health programs through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state, local, Tribal and territorial health departments, and community partners. Funding in these areas is vital to ensuring that the tools needed to prevent and respond to major public health threats are available throughout the nation.

Increased public health funding is needed to meet the mounting challenges the nation faces, according to Auerbach. “Public health is starving for a real, transformative investment to bring it into the 21^st century and face the nation’s growing challenges.”

Auerbach highlighted the importance of a public health infrastructure and shared two points that are critical to the committee achieving its legislative goals:

Congress must raise the budget caps. CDC and public health face dire cuts if there is not a budget agreement this year that raises budget caps for defense and nondefense discretionary programs in parity with each other.
Congress must appropriate funding for the programs authorized in the legislation. All too often, we see a pattern of funding cuts, followed by a disaster or outbreak, which then leads to an influx of one-time money, followed by an erosion of funds. Public health cannot function with short-term, expiring dollars, only made available during a crisis. Sustained public health funding is essential to ensuring that the country has the public health workforce, systems and infrastructure necessary to protect the nation’s health.

Learn more about the state of public health funding and TFAH’s recommendations for addressing it in our recently released The Impact of Chronic Underfunding on America’s Public Health System report.

Welcome to Age-Friendly Florida

Herald Tribune
by Katie Black
May 12, 2019

Florida joined the global age-friendly network last month. The designation is particularly relevant to Florida, whose residents are getting older: One out of five are 65 or older; nearly 2 million are 75-plus; centenarians represent the state’s fastest growing demographic subgroup.

How is Age-Friendly Florida poised to better meet the needs and preferences of our aging citizens and promote their well-being?

The age-friendly model aims to enhance active aging and optimize full participation in community life for all Floridians. This requires adopting an “age lens” in all programs, policies and services and recognizing the diversity created by longevity.

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