Study on the Usefulness of Using a Calendar to Provide Information on Healthy Eating Habits to Local Residents in Japan

Abstract

  This study investigated the usefulness of educational materials (hereafter referred to as ‘the calendar’) with information on desirable eating habits at the top of the calendar for local residents in Japan. We developed the calendar that could be used between January and December 2023. We distributed the calendar in December 2022 to all households (1,358 households) belonging to the D Residents’ Association, C District, B City. A questionnaire concerning the calendar was distributed between December 2023 and January 2024.

  The calendar-using proportion of the group was 76.8%, and 72.8% of respondents thought that the calendar information was useful for their own health promotion. In terms of willingness to improve eating habits, the proportion of participants with a high willingness to improve eating habits was significantly higher in the calendar use group.

  Participants with a high willingness to improve eating habits tended to have higher calendar impact scores than those with low willingness to improve eating habits, suggesting that the provision of information on healthy eating habits using the calendar may have influenced awareness of eating habits and behavioral change.