The City of Laredo kicked off the 13th annual Healthier Texas Community Challenge this month with a large gathering of representatives from the health, schools and business sectors.
The event, held at the Haynes Health & Wellness Center, featured speeches from city leaders who emphasized the dire need for Laredo to get moving and get involved.
According to a WalletHub “Healthiest and Unhealthiest Cities in America” report, Laredo ranked 180 out of 182 cities. The city has also ranked last for mental health counselors per capita, Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino pointed out.
The competitive challenge is a free 8-week competition that logs hydration, exercise and healthy meals. It runs from Jan. 13 to March 9. You register for the competition with a mobile app and can access free services such as healthy coaching, webinars and videos. To register, go to https://register.txcommunitychallenge.org/
United Independent School District, which has a Wellness Committee that pushes for many healthier changes, is part of the challenge.
“We are always in partnership with the Laredo Public Health Department,” said Irene Rosales, Health Services Director for the district. “We are seeing a lot of diabetes and obesity. With COVID, everybody gained weight, so now we are seeing the consequences of gaining the weight, which is diabetes, hypertension, heart problems. People are getting sick.”
“This will be a great challenge to get everyone into the scope of being healthy,” Rosales added. “We’re going to have to do something in order to get everyone healthy again.”
Cordy Sarabia, the district Employee Wellness Coordinator, said that UISD’s participation in this challenge is important.
“This challenge is a community challenge and UISD employs over 6,000 individuals,” Sarabia said. “We would like to encourage our employees to be more active, eat healthier, and drink more water.”
Employees who participate can then spread the message to their own families and friends. “That is a great turnaround for our community,” Sarabia said.
“We have some work ahead of us, but this statewide challenge initiated by our mayor, Dr. Trevino, and the City of Laredo’s Health Department is a great first step for teaching people how to live a healthier lifestyle,” Sarabia added.
City and school leaders noted that while the challenge might feel overwhelming, it’s not. It needs to be broken down into smaller parts.
Add a vegetable to your meal, walk 30 minutes a day (break the time up if necessary), swap dessert with fruit, suggested city and school officials.
Type 2 Diabetes, once seen mostly in adults, is on the rise in children, noted Rosales. Parents of these children need to have healthier diets and get their children to be physically active.
Mayor Dr. Trevino, who officially signed the pledge signaling Laredo’s participation in the challenge, said he sees many cases of diabetes and obesity in his own practice.
He said the backdrop for these conditions is that Laredo is medically underserved. “The reality is that we are medically underserved and we have been so for decades,” he said.
But that doesn’t mean Laredo can’t turn it around and get moving, officials stressed.
“These issues not only impact us not as just individuals but our families, our workplaces and the entire community. However, we also have the tremendous potential to improve together and we can take the steps to make Laredo healthier,” said Laredo Public Health Director Dr. Richard Chamberlain.
“Each of us has the power to become the healthiest versions of ourselves through small consistent changes. We are not asking anyone to start a marathon today. We are asking to just take some simple steps to make a difference beginning today,” he added.
Dr. Chamberlain said Laredoans need to “invest in their future.” It will save money on medical expenses in the future, reduce stress and improve the quality of life for them and their loved ones, he added.
After the event, participants walked laps around the track inside the Haynes center to demonstrate their commitment to the cause.
Local leaders back the city's pledge
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