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Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán

2007, Number 5

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Rev Invest Clin 2007; 59 (5)

Deficient education in health and nutrition in Mexican schools: the topic of salt

Lozada M, Sánchez-Castillo CP, Mata II, Cabrera GA, Pichardo-Ontiveros E, James WPT

Language: Spanish
References: 35
Page: 365-372
PDF size: 69.28 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Objective. Given the rapidly increasing rates of adult chronic diseases in Mexico there is a need to assess the knowledge and understanding of these sufferings in relation to an inadequate diet. Material and methods. In a randomly selected sample of primary, secondary and high schools in a region of Mexico City, the knowledge of the dietary contributors to chronic disease was assessed by taking the specific example of salt and the knowledge of its importance. Participation encompassed: 1504 students, 890 parents and 27 teachers. An analysis was made of the curricular contribution of the school to nutritional and health knowledge. Results. Forty five percent of students showed knowledge about the role of salt in health as well as 64.7% and 70% of parents and teachers respectively. Knowledge increased along with age: high school students showed a greater number of correct answers (74.3%) than those from secondary (48.8%) and primary (55.2%) (p ‹ 0.0001). More girls (30.3%) (p ‹ 0.001) answered rightly that industrialized foods contain more salt. No formal lessons are given on any aspects of nutrition or health, but one subject dealing with sexual education. Conclusion. There is little health education and no nutritional teaching in the studied schools despite the wide ranging of nutritional deficiencies and the national epidemic of chronic diseases in Mexico. A change in the scholastic curriculum in schools, that includes subjects on nutrition and health, is urgently required.


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