Prevention

Topics here will include issues that fall into the Prevention Division of the agency, which include – as the name implies – programs that help prevent disease in our state. You will find information about chronic diseases (cancer, heart health, breathing disorders) as well as tobacco use prevention. This area also includes education about Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Women, Infant and Children programs; both USDA programs that help provide nutrition to lower income residents.

Show Your Love

By |2017-02-10T09:50:42-07:00February 14th, 2013|General, Prevention|

Valentine’s Day isn’t just a day of romance, flowers and candy.  The CDC Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative launched a campaign asking all women of childbearing age to Show Your Love by taking good care of themselves.  It’s a national initiative to educate women and couples on the importance of preconception health. Preconception health [...]

Snack Time

By |2017-02-10T09:50:43-07:00February 12th, 2013|Prevention|

We’re one step closer to winning the battle of childhood obesity.  The USDA just released the new “Smart Snacks in School” proposal to provide national standards geared towards increasing healthy food options in vending machines and snack bars. As required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the USDA is striving to help improve [...]

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Workin’ Out

By |2017-02-10T09:50:43-07:00February 11th, 2013|Prevention|

Student participation in PE and sports has lots of benefits like improved social skills, confidence, general health, well-being and healthier weight.  According to the CDC rates for obesity among students with disabilities are 38% higher than for students without disabilities.  Students who have intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities and mobility limitations have the highest obesity rates. [...]

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Mealtime

By |2017-02-10T09:50:43-07:00February 7th, 2013|General, Prevention|

Does when you eat make a difference in how much you weigh? A new study in the International Journal of Obesity indicates eating late may make it less likely you will lose weight as quickly. The five-month study was done in Spain and included 420 people in a weight loss program using the Mediterranean Diet. [...]

50 Years of Newborn Screening

By |2017-02-10T09:50:44-07:00January 29th, 2013|General, Newborn Screening, Prevention|

Last year we welcomed about 87,000 newborns to Arizona.  Our Newborn Screening Program (in our State Lab) ensures that each are tested for 28 inherited disorders and hearing problems.   The goal is to help kids avoid illness, developmental delays and even death.  Teamwork, communication and coordination are critical in making this program effective.  A quick [...]

Studying Vaccine Choice

By |2017-02-10T09:50:45-07:00January 25th, 2013|Preparedness, Prevention|

As I mentioned in a blog post a few weeks ago, more AZ parents are choosing not to vaccinate their kids- and using “personal exemptions” when they enroll their kids in school.  If the trend continues, we could jeopardize our immunization rates enough so that we'd see long gone diseases like measles and mumps return in [...]

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Selling Food

By |2017-02-10T09:50:46-07:00January 16th, 2013|Prevention|

Food marketing to children and teens is a major public health concern. Earlier this year, the Walt Disney Company announced it will no longer accept advertisements for junk food on its child-directed television, radio, and online sites.  Disney also updated its nutrition standards for foods that can be advertised to children. The food and beverage [...]

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Folic Acid Awareness Week

By |2017-02-10T09:50:46-07:00January 11th, 2013|Prevention|

Taking a daily multivitamin can save babies lives by preventing birth defects.   Folic acid is a B vitamin can prevent up to 70% of neural tube defects (including spina bifida and anencephaly).   An average of 52 babies are born with neural tube defects in Arizona each year.  The easiest way for women of childbearing age to get [...]

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Influenza Going Gangbusters in US and AZ

By |2017-02-10T09:50:47-07:00January 10th, 2013|General, Licensing, Prevention|

During the 2009- 2010 influenza pandemic, we saw how influenza can be unpredictable in terms of who it affects most, when it occurs, and what strains will circulate. This season is no exception. While the circulating strains are exactly what we predicted, the peak of the flu season is hitting earlier than usual (now) and it's [...]

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‘Tis the Season to Be Vaccinated…

By |2017-02-10T09:50:48-07:00December 19th, 2012|Prevention|

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices released issued new recommendations to encourage pregnant women to get the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine (Tdap) during their pregnancy.  Since most kids get whooping cough from a close family member, vaccinating parents (and teens) is one of the best ways to prevent infants, especially those who are too young [...]

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