Step Up to a Healthy New Year

Health Promotion and Market Place Enrollment for Latino Communities
Latinos now number 54 million in this country, making us the largest minority at 17% of the population. An estimated 29% of the population will be Latino by 2050. As a community, we face alarming rates of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. Currently, the fastest rising of these threats to Latino health are diabetes and obesity.

Compounding the rate of illness we face is the fact that up to 30% of Latinos under age 65 don’t have health insurance. Last year, 8 million people benefited from the Affordable Care Act; unfortunately, only 11% of those were Latino. Latinos continue to be the most underserved, underinsured population with millions still eligible for coverage.

As Latinos, our devotion to family and community is one of our greatest strengths. We need to call upon that strength now to combat the tide of illness that is effecting our communities.

Latino Health Challenges
Latinos face alarming rates of illness in a multitude of areas, but the top two health challenges are preventable: obesity and diabetes.

Obesity:

  • As a group, Latinos have a combined obesity and overweight rate of 77.9%
  • 78% of Mexican American women are overweight or obese and are 40% more likely to be overweight than non-Latino white women
  • 39% of Latino children ages 2-19 are overweight or obese
  • Obesity is a leading risk factor in the development of Type II Diabetes

Diabetes:

  • 3.2 million Latinos have diabetes
  • Latinas are 17 times more likely to die from diabetes and diabetes complications such as end stage renal failure, high blood pressure and stroke, than non-Latino whites
  • 1 in 10 Latinas has Type II Diabetes
  • Latinos are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than non-Latino whites
  • Latino children have a 50% chance of developing diabetes in their lifetime
  • A recent poll showed that nearly 1 in 5 Latinos believe diabetes is the biggest health challenge they face.

How Can You Help?

Every step taken toward better health is a step in the right direction. Below are some practical steps
you can take to effect change in the health of our community:

Promote Preventative Care

Under the Affordable Care Act even the most basic plans guarantee access to the essential health
benefits critical to combatting obesity and diabetes. These benefits include preventative and wellness services, chronic disease management, lab services and prescription drugs.

Preventative care also starts at home with the choices we make every day.

¡Informate!

Marketplace enrollment season will be ending soon. Get informed and share that information with others in your community. Listed below are a few of places where information is available:

Together, through education, preventative care, and action we can change the health of our families and our communities. Join with us to bring about this change today!