Nutrition knowledge of hispanic women

The study measured the nutrition knowledge of a group of Hispanic women enrolled in a W.I.C. Clinic in Southern California whose children were at nutritional risk. The instrument was a questionnaire in English or Spanish which included six demographic questions (age, language spoken in the home, amount of medical care, number of medical visits made, months spent in the W.I.C. Program, and years of education), and twenty-three questions on nutrition. Pretest N = 366. Posttest N = 126. Significant differences in scores were due to an increased number of months spent in the W.I.C. Program, increased chronological age, and language spoken in the home (English). Problem areas were weaning knowledge (especially with regard to the appropriate use of cow’s milk and knowledge of protein sources for a child over six months of age), knowledge of vegetable-protein sources, and natural food sources of vitamin C and iron.