In its 2019 report, "Beyond the Border: Family Separation in the Trump Era" (see ED603926), UnidosUS demonstrates how the current trajectory of the nation's immigration policies is threatening the future of an entire generation of American children. Today, 80% of Latinos are U.S. citizens and half of those remaining are legal permanent…

Aggressive immigration enforcement hurts the very youngest children. Refugee and U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants experience many childhood adversities, compromising their development and health. Refugee children flee traumatizing violence in their home countries, face grueling migrations, and are harmed further by being held in…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between physical fitness, body mass index and academic performance in Hispanic children enrolled in grade 5 from a district in the Rio Grande Valley. A total of 547 participants were selected from 11 elementary schools from a school district in the Rio Grande Valley. The…

Despite a growing population of homeschool children in the United States, little is known regarding their physical activity (PA) levels. Without access to physical education, homeschool children may engage in inadequate PA levels. The purpose of this study was to objectively examine the activity levels of homeschool students participating in a…

Located on the U.S.-Mexico border, the Rio Grande Valley is a place of rich culture and possibilities. However, on many indicators of children's health, education and financial security, the Valley is not doing as well as Texas overall, revealing a pattern of disinvestment in children's futures. In order to "raise the bar" in child…

Research among adults has demonstrated concurrent and prospective negative associations between TV viewing and mental health, yet little research has examined these associations among African American and Latino youth or examined the role of children's involvement with TV and parental mediation of TV viewing via coviewing. The purpose of the…

Golf has become a popular sport for kids throughout the world; however, many do not realize that it is also a sport that offers benefits to children with physical challenges. Golf can be used for recreational purposes and as a motivational tool for rehabilitation. These two principles serve as the foundation upon which Texas Scottish Rite Hospital…

For the past 21 years, the KIDS COUNT project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation has tracked the well-being of children at the national, state, and local levels. Over the years, the foundation's work has documented both great progress in child well-being and periodic setbacks. The 10 key indicators tracked in the KIDS COUNT Data Book over the past…

For more than 20 years, the Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP) has been a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) research organization committed to improving public policies and private practices to better the economic and social conditions of low- and moderate-income Texans. CPPP believes the upcoming reauthorization of the child nutrition…

Background: School-based body mass index (BMI) measurement has attracted much attention across the nation from researchers, school officials, legislators, and the media as a potential approach to address obesity among youth. Methods: An expert panel, convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2005, reviewed and provided…

In an age of rising obesity rates, more students are getting fit in school with the help of the video game series Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and similar games. Some educators caution that while the trend is positive overall, technology should only supplement--not replace--traditional physical activity, such as running, aerobics, and other…

Environmental allergens are major triggers for pediatric asthma. While children's greatest exposure to indoor allergens is in the home, other public places where children spend a large amount of time, such as school and day care centers, may also be sources of significant allergen encounters. The purpose of this article is to describe schoolroom…

Immigrant status carries considerable challenges to survival and mobility in U.S. society. As an emerging dimension of social stratification, legal status influences not only immigrants but also their children. Using data collected in Houston and San Diego, this study examines the intergenerational health consequences of undocumented status for…

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. University health and physical education programs have a unique opportunity to assist in childhood obesity prevention through service-learning programs. However, prior to the implementation of service-learning curricula, it is imperative to gain insight in the unique needs of the…

This Kids Count report presents a brief demographic analysis of preventable child deaths in Texas. The analysis integrates quantitative and qualitative information on accidents, homicides, and suicides, with data on deaths from disease and other causes to compare different age groupings, ethnic groups, and time periods. Texas Department of Health…