Just like all over the world, sometimes kids in Mexico, Latin America and Spain do not eat exactly as their parents would like them to. Some of them are concerned because obesity is on the rise in all of these countries. Although kids traditionally eat bread or fruit for their snacks, it is now not uncommon for kids to crave junk food or fast food, and to have it when they are out on the streets, hanging out with friends. But it is not at all common for kids to eat potato chips and other fried foods when they are eating a meal with their families, one that has been prepared by a parent.

In Spain kids really love yogurt and have it every day, but not everything they consume is healthy. In fact, the government works aggressively to inform kids about health issues, such as eating the right foods and avoiding drugs, but according to the teachers in Spain, there is not enough being done to prevent kids from smoking. Kids hear lectures in special assemblies that are held in their schools. What about your school? Is it similar or different? In what ways?

In the more rural areas of many countries, there are other, more basic concerns, such as healthcare for pregnant women and newborn babies. Some Spanish-speaking countries are far less developed than others, especially when it comes to medical care. For instance, can you imagine living a two-day bus ride from a hospital? In general, though, many countries offer socialized (in other words, paid by the government rather than by each individual) healthcare through their governments, and clinics exist to help the poor who cannot pay for their own care. Costa Rica is one example of a country with excellent, advanced socialized health care.

If you are ever travel in a Spanish-speaking region you may notice that there are fewer and smaller hospitals but more clínicas. These offer services much like an emergency room at an American hospital and it is really only the most critically ill patients who go to the hospitals. So if you twist your ankle or get an ear infection, you would go to a clínica rather than the hospital.