The Development of Health Knowledge in Low-Income Mexican-American Children

Abstract

Children growing up in poverty are at risk for various health problems. For low‐income, Mexican‐American children, these risks include obesity, diabetes, and accidental injuries, 3 conditions that can largely be prevented by healthy life‐styles. Despite the potential for prevention through education leading to health‐promoting behaviors, very little is known about the development of health knowledge in this population. The present study examined low‐income, Mexican‐American children's understanding of the relation between health behavior and health status in 3 areas: nutrition, hygiene, and safety. 79 children (41 boys, 38 girls) ages 4 to 8 years participated. Children's knowledge was assessed in a structured play situation conducted in a laboratory setting. Results revealed that children knew the least about the relation between food consumption and their health, and knew the most about beneficial and harmful practices in the areas of safety and hygiene. Age and gender differences were also significant, with girls and older children more likely to provide elaborate and complex rationales for their responses. Implications of the findings for understanding the role of cognitive development and experience in the development of health knowledge are considered.

The substance and sources of young children's healthy eating and physical activity knowledge: implications for obesity prevention efforts

“…The few studies that included young children's perceptions regarding variables associated with healthy weight suggest that by age 3 most children have the cognitive ability to form rudimentary health concepts based on their life experiences (Mobley 1996). Nutrition knowledge lags behind health issues such as safety and hygiene (Olvera‐Ezzell et al . 1994), but is better developed than understanding of how physical activity benefits health (Lasky & Eichelberger 1985).…”

Parental socialization of mental health in Chinese American families: What parents say and do, and how youth make meaning

“…The health socialization literature identifies a range of parental socialization messages that have enduring effects on child health behaviors, including the transmission of knowledge/information, direct control of children's behaviors (e.g., eating), reinforcing or discouraging child behavior via parental responses, parental modeling, and managing external influences (e.g., exposure to certain foods; Baranowski, 1990). Culture uniquely shapes parental messages on health; for example, compared with European American mothers, mothers of Mexican origin were more likely to emphasize socialization messages on hygiene and safety than nutrition (Lees & Tinsley, 2000; Olvera‐Ezzell et al, 1994). Diep et al (2017) found that Chinese American parents influenced their children's eating behaviors and preferences for Chinese food through modeling, affecting the access or availability of foods, or restricting unhealthy foods.…”