Linking nutrition and education: a cross-generation model.
Psychosocial influences, such as the family or the school, and biologic influences, such as nutrition or the presence of environmental toxins, can be viewed as elements of a child's overall environment. Family and school influences define dimensions of the child's psychosocial environment whereas nutrition and exposure to toxins define dimensions of the child's bioecologic environment. This paper presents a cross-generation model specifying both the nature and consequences of linkages between the psychosocial and bioecologic environments, with specific reference to schooling, nutrition, and development. Data from two studies done in Egypt and Peru are used to illustrate this model, showing how duration of breastfeeding and quality of the young child's diet are positively associated with higher levels of maternal education and intelligence.
Wachs
Theodore D
TD
Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. wachs@psych.purdue.edu
D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010568:Peru