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


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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Lozada
Michelle
M
Departamento de Fisiología de la Nutrición, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán.
Sánchez-Castillo
Claudia P
CP
Mata
Irma I
II
Cabrera
Georgina A
GA
Pichardo-Ontiveros
Edgar
E
James
W Philip T
WP
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D012574:Schools; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D012982:Sodium, Dietary