San Antonio launches new campaign to fight diabetes and obesity – mySanAntonio.com

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Click ahead to view the healthiest cities in Texas, according to WalletHub.

Click ahead to view the healthiest cities in Texas, according to WalletHub.

Texas is home to four of the least healthy cities in the U.S., according to a new list from WalletHub.

Click through the slideshow to see how 16 Texas cities stacked up against one another.

Texas is home to four of the least healthy cities in the U.S., according to a new list from WalletHub.

Click through the slideshow to see how 16 Texas cities stacked up against one another.

Health Care Rank: 117 Food Rank: 150 Fitness Rank: 143 Green Space Rank: 145

Health Care Rank: 117 Food Rank: 150 Fitness Rank: 143 Green Space Rank: 145

Health Care Rank: 43 Food Rank: 146 Fitness Rank: 149 Green Space Rank: 127

Health Care Rank: 43 Food Rank: 146 Fitness Rank: 149 Green Space Rank: 127

Health Care Rank: 130 Food Rank: 143 Fitness Rank: 133 Green Space Rank: 132

Health Care Rank: 130 Food Rank: 143 Fitness Rank: 133 Green Space Rank: 132

13. El Paso (139 overall)Health Care Rank: 116 Food Rank: 137 Fitness Rank: 117 Green Space Rank: 124

13. El Paso (139 overall)Health Care Rank: 116 Food Rank: 137 Fitness Rank: 117 Green Space Rank: 124

Health Care Rank: 84 Food Rank: 112 Fitness Rank: 115 Green Space Rank: 142

Health Care Rank: 84 Food Rank: 112 Fitness Rank: 115 Green Space Rank: 142

Health Care Rank: 106 Food Rank: 91 Fitness Rank: 108 Green Space Rank: 146

Health Care Rank: 106 Food Rank: 91 Fitness Rank: 108 Green Space Rank: 146

Health Care Rank: 88 Food Rank: 138 Fitness Rank: 121 Green Space Rank: 82

Health Care Rank: 88 Food Rank: 138 Fitness Rank: 121 Green Space Rank: 82

Health Care Rank: 87 Food Rank: 103 Fitness Rank: 114 Green Space Rank: 138

Health Care Rank: 87 Food Rank: 103 Fitness Rank: 114 Green Space Rank: 138

Health Care Rank: 86 Food Rank: 97 Fitness Rank: 100 Green Space Rank: 129

Health Care Rank: 86 Food Rank: 97 Fitness Rank: 100 Green Space Rank: 129

Health Care Rank: 104 Food Rank: 67 Fitness Rank: 118 Green Space Rank: 134

Health Care Rank: 104 Food Rank: 67 Fitness Rank: 118 Green Space Rank: 134

Health Care Rank: 90 Food Rank: 83 Fitness Rank: 144 Green Space Rank: 105

Health Care Rank: 90 Food Rank: 83 Fitness Rank: 144 Green Space Rank: 105

Health Care Rank: 63 Food Rank: 130 Fitness Rank: 58 Green Space Rank: 113

Health Care Rank: 63 Food Rank: 130 Fitness Rank: 58 Green Space Rank: 113

Health Care Rank: 81 Food Rank: 62 Fitness Rank: 106 Green Space Rank: 114

Health Care Rank: 81 Food Rank: 62 Fitness Rank: 106 Green Space Rank: 114

Health Care Rank: 103 Food Rank: 72 Fitness Rank: 111 Green Space Rank: 99

Health Care Rank: 103 Food Rank: 72 Fitness Rank: 111 Green Space Rank: 99

Health Care Rank: 30 Food Rank: 21 Fitness Rank: 56 Green Space Rank: 33

Health Care Rank: 30 Food Rank: 21 Fitness Rank: 56 Green Space Rank: 33

Health Care Rank: 9 Food Rank: 37 Fitness Rank: 24 Green Space Rank: 42

Health Care Rank: 9 Food Rank: 37 Fitness Rank: 24 Green Space Rank: 42

San Antonio launches new campaign to fight diabetes and obesity

In the battle against diabetes and obesity two health scourges that are rampant in Bexar County the citys health department just started a new campaign centered on healthy eating.

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health Districts Viva Health! nutrition education drive aims to blanket the city with information on what constitutes a nourishing diet, and how individuals and families can go about replacing bad meals with good ones, in the easiest, most cost-effective ways possible.

It is based on three simple messages:

Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, every meal, every day

For portion control, use a smaller plate think salad plate

Drink water, not sugary drinks

The education push aims to reverse statistics that show nearly 11 percent of Bexar County adults were diagnosed with diabetes in 2015. That data includes only those whove been told by a doctor they had the disease, so the actual number is likely much higher, said Metro Health officials. More than one-third of adults in Bexar County were classified as obese in 2015. Obesity, unhealthy on its own, is also a risk factor for diabetes, which carries a host of serious health complications, including kidney failure, blindness and stroke.

At a news conference announcing the new campaign, Mayor Ivy Taylor said the program fits in perfectly with the Mayors Fitness Council, which aims to make San Antonio one of the healthiest and most active cities in the nation. Taylor told of her own struggle in convincing her 13 year-old daughter and husband both meat and potatoes fans to choose healthier foods.

Sometimes I get home late after dinner and I find the remnants of fast-food meals in the kitchen, she said. Its a common refrain for me at home, Eat some fruit with that! Get some apple sauce or mandarin oranges!

Many neighborhoods in San Antonio continue to struggle with access to nourishing food, Taylor said, especially high-poverty areas. The new campaign the tag line is eat well, to feel great should help with that, she said.

Metro Health, in partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank, the Culinary Education for Families (CHEF) program and other community groups, plans to conduct a marketing campaign using the visual image of a plate with the right proportion of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. Metro Healths WIC and Healthy Neighborhoods program will provide nutrition classes and community outreach using the image and the three core messages.

The Mayors Fitness Council plans to promote the message within its programs, such as including it within material provided to physicians offices in underserved areas and in tool kits to faith-based organizations. The CHEF program, an innovative cooking school founded by the Goldsbury Foundation and the Childrens Hospital of San Antonio, is co-developing a web-based and hard-copy interactive meal planning tool that uses the image and the core messages. The online tool will link users to simple and affordable recipes on the CHEF website.

The food banks Mobile Mercado is going to help food-insecure residents meet the daily goal of healthy eating proportions, by providing education campaign materials during their community nutrition and cooking classes across the county, said Michael Guerra, spokesman for the organization.

Colleen Bridger, in her third week as the new director of Metro Health, said shes starting to understand the challenges San Antonio faces in terms of chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes.

There are many contributing factors, but how we eat is a key issue, she said. There are challenging circumstances and environments that make the healthy choice not an easy choice. This campaign gives us the tools we need to really address the problem.

mstoeltje@express-news.net

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San Antonio launches new campaign to fight diabetes and obesity - mySanAntonio.com