LULAC Kicks Off Phoenix’s First “Latinos Living Healthy” Health Fair
October 15, 2011
Contact: Paloma Zuleta, pzuleta@lulac.org, (202) 812-4477
In Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month
Washington, DC – In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, LULAC has joined forces with Walgreens Stores to kick off Latinos Living Healthy Health Fairs in Phoenix, Arizona. The Health Fair was well attended and greatly appreciated by the Latino community who benefited from the free flu shot vouchers, health screenings, healthy snacks, and other giveaways; and enjoyed family oriented entertainment. Future such health fairs will follow in Texas. The LULAC and Walgreens partnership will also be sponsoring a childhood anti-obesity campaign, all for the benefit of the Latino community.
“We are excited over the many resources and services this partnership will bring to the Latino community. These health fairs will be particularly beneficial to areas where our community is underserved and medical services aren’t readily available,” said LULAC National President Margaret Moran. “LULAC’s emphasis on the childhood obesity epidemic is out of concern that it is threatening the health status of Latino communities across the nation and specifically Latino children and adolescents that are at greater risk than their white and African-American peers to be overweight.”
Lack of access to healthy and affordable foods, the inability to have safe spaces in Latino neighborhoods for physical exercise and the disparities in accessing and obtaining quality medical health services are some of the barriers that prevent Latinos from being healthier. In fact, Latino children and youth are developing obesity-related diseases that are normally found in adults such as type-2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, treating children and adolescents for obesity-related diseases is estimated to be at $117 billion.
About the League of United Latin American Citizens:
The League of United Latin American Citizens, the largest and oldest Hispanic membership organization in the country, advances the economic conditions, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating through 900 LULAC councils nationwide. For more information, visit www.lulac.org
###