In an effort to empower California’s Latino population to make healthier choices for their families, a Latino Health Awareness Month celebration will take place on Friday, Sept. 8, in Dinuba.
The event will take place from 5-8 p.m. at Entertainment Plaza, 289 S. L. St., in Dinuba. It is free and open to the public.
The event is hosted by Kaweah Delta, founders of the collaborative Network Leaders on the Move Tulare County Partnership, with the City of Dinuba, California Department of Public Health, and other organizations.
Such celebrations happen each September, when the California Department of Public Health’s Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Branch observes Latino Health Awareness Month (LHAM).
During the event, families will be engaged in nutrition and physical education activities. Physical education activities will include the Distance for Diabetes Walk – the first steps to encourage diabetics to be more physically active – and interactive children activities. Adults will also have the opportunity to learn firsthand how to create healthier changes in their community from resident community leaders. The event will also feature, a mini farmers’ market, health screenings, healthy recipe sampling, a thirst quenching alternative to sugary beverages, raffles and much more.
“September is a month when we as Latinos are reminded to focus on our health and evaluate whether we need to make some changes,” said Eustolia Zamora-Bonilla, Community Health Worker II with Kaweah Delta’s Community Outreach Department. “Even the smallest changes can make a huge impact on our health.”
Alarmingly, obesity affects more than 32 percent of California Latino adults. Almost 40 percent of Latino adolescents are either overweight or obese, according to the 2015 study, “Obesity in California.”
Also during the festival, attendees will learn how to “switch it up” by using traditional Latino recipes and incorporating more fruits and vegetables and by cooking with less oils and fats. Additionally, attendees will learn the importance of drinking more water and the significance of cutting down on sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and energy drinks. Research shows that sugar-sweetened beverages comprise the largest source of added sugar and are associated with increased rates of obesity and other chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
Kaweah Delta is a publicly-owned community healthcare organization that provides comprehensive health services to the greater Visalia region and Tulare County. For more information, visit www.kaweahdelta.org.