Fecal contamination of food, water, hands, and kitchen utensils at the household level in rural areas of Peru.

The study described in this article evaluated sources of contamination of children's food and drinking water in rural households in the highlands of Peru. Samples from children's meals, drinking water, kitchen utensils, and caregivers' and children's hands were analyzed for total coliforms and E. coli counts using Petrifilm EC.

Salt: its goodness and perversities.

Salt (sodium chloride) exists in nature in scattered form and has had social, economic and physiological influence in man's life. At present its consumption is a quotidian fact in the individual, since it exist a universal appetite of this element in the diet. Nevertheless, since relatively a short time ago it was begun to be recognized that salt is an important component for public health since an excessive intake of this element has been related to the development of hypertension.

[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.

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.

School food in Mexican children.

Objective: To establish the school eating habits of Mexican children, who are prone to obesity and later to high rates of adult chronic diseases.

Design: Questionnaires for students and parents with staff questionnaires and interviews.

Setting: Randomly sampled schools in a socio-economically representative district of Mexico City.