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MA/PhD Theses Abstracts of Current Students & Alumni |
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Gutierrez-Mayka, Marcela. 1991. Migrant Nutrition and the School Lunch Program: A Policy Analysis.
Abstract:
This study was undertaken to document the contributions of the School
Lunch Program (SLP) to the diets of Mexican American migrant children
in the U.S. Contributions were measured at the individual level via nutrient
analysis of the child's daily food intake and food group analysis. A
critical medical anthropology theoretical framework led to further analysis
of the SLP's history and objectives in the broader context of the health
system in a capitalist society. The ultimate goal was to elucidate the
impact of policies and priorities established at the system level on
the nutritional status of a group of migrant children. Nutritional data
were collected using the three-day, 24 hour recall method. Thirty-three
(33) Mexican American migrant children in Florida, and sixteen (16) children
of the same background in New York were interviewed. Sociodemographic
information was collected by means of a questionnaire. Ethnographic observations
provided the necessary background to interpret both types of data. The
significance of the contribution of the School Lunch Program to the diet
of migrant children was revealed by comparison to the contributions of
the home. The school lunch was designed to provide 1/3 of the Recommended
Daily Allowances (RDA) for all nutrients. This analysis, however, showed
that relative to the home, the school lunch accounted for one-half of
the RDAs for calcium and vitamin D. The findings also revealed an inadequate
consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as an over-reliance
on fat and protein as sources of calories. Given the importance of calcium
and vitamin D for the healthy bone development in children, it is suggested
that without the school lunch, migrant children sampled in this study
could be at risk for health problems related to inadequate intake of
these two nutrients. The role of the SLP is also emphasized in terms
of reversing adverse dietary patterns of fat, protein, fruits and vegetable
consumption through exposure of migrant children to nutritious, varied
and balanced diets. A critical medical anthropology interpretation of
these results proposes that the underlying cause of nutritional problems
of the poor may be tied to the nature of health under capitalism.
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