International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2012, Pages 33-43

Migration, agribusiness and nutritional status of children under five in northwest mexico (Article) (Open Access)

Ortega M.* , Rosales C. , de Zapien J.G. , Aranda P. , Castañeda A. , Saucedo S. , Montaño C. , Contreras A.
  • a División de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Carretera a La Victoria Km. 0.6, Ejido La Victoria, C.P. 83304, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
  • b Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave, P.O. Box 245163, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States
  • c Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave, P.O. Box 245163, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States
  • d Centro de Estudios en Salud y Sociedad, El Colegio de Sonora, Avenida Obregón No. 54 Col. Centro, C.P. 83000, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
  • e Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicación, Universidad de Sonora, Blvd. Luis Encinas y Rosales S/N, Col. Centro, C.P. 83000, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
  • f División de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Carretera a La Victoria Km. 0.6, Ejido La Victoria, C.P. 83304, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
  • g División de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Carretera a La Victoria Km. 0.6, Ejido La Victoria, C.P. 83304, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
  • h División de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Carretera a La Victoria Km. 0.6, Ejido La Victoria, C.P. 83304, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the nutritional status of children of Mexican migrant worker families under five years of age within the context of global food markets. The sample included 404 children less than five years old from farms and agricultural communities in northwest Mexico. Prevalence of stunting and underweight of children appeared very similar to that of indigenous children from the national sample survey (difference 0.9 and 1.6 percentage points, respectively). Compared to the national sample of Mexican children, stunting and underweight seemed higher in migrant children (difference 17.7 and 4.5 percentage points, respectively), but wasting, an indicator of both chronic and acute undernutrition, appeared to indicate a process of nutritional recuperation. Migrant children living in poverty and suffering from chronic undernutrition, poor performance and scarce education opportunities, can be expected to eventually become agricultural workers with low productivity and poor general health. Consumer's demands on social and environmental standards of fresh food production in developed countries could be an opportunity to impact the lives of migrant agricultural workers, their families and communities. © 2012 by the authors.

Author Keywords

Mexico Migration Children under five health disparities

Index Keywords

education wasting syndrome educational status stunting poverty health disparity agricultural worker Federal District [Mexico] human Mexico City risk assessment child nutrition controlled study Agriculture acute disease nutritional assessment chronic disease Mexico agroindustry population risk Humans preschool child Child, Preschool child health Article underweight food market major clinical study migration developed country Mexico [North America] malnutrition Transients and Migrants nutritional status Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84856354725&doi=10.3390%2fijerph9010033&partnerID=40&md5=4ee8795cb98f457a1a447846b8dde9a9
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph9010033
ISSN: 16604601
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English