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Hacia la Promoción de la Salud
Print version ISSN 0121-7577
Abstract
GAETA GONZALEZ, Martha Leticia; CAVAZOS ARROYO, Judith and PEREZ ARMENDARIZ, Beatriz. PERSONAL PERCEPTION AND EATING HABITS IN THE SCHOOL CONTEXT IN MEXICAN CHILDREN FROM MARGINALIZED AREAS. Hacia promoc. Salud [online]. 2014, vol.19, n.2, pp.53-65. ISSN 0121-7577.
Objective: To analyze physical and general self-concept, concern about physical appearance and obesity as well as eating habits in the school context, in children between 9 and 13 years old in two highly marginalized contexts in Mexico. Materials and Methods: Mixed, non-experimental, descriptive and cross-sectional investigation in two stages: in the first stage a survey technique was used and the in the second stage photographic evidence and the opinion of an expert in food biotechnology were used. A total of 490 fifth and sixth grade elementary school students participated. Results: Positive general and physical self-concept in children was found, with very few significant differences between boys and girls. Although children of both sexes have normal weights and heights according to their age, there is a great concern and interest in obesity, but also food consumption dynamic in the school context with high caloric content, poor in nutrients and that promotes obesogenic lifestyles. Conclusions: Complexity in the perception of the students regarding their self-concept and eating habits is evident. The need to design educational strategies in a cross-curricular manner to transform children's wrong ideas about the self image, that of others and healthy eating habits, is emphasized.
Keywords : Self-concept; obesity; feeding behavior; social marginalization; education.