The effect of lunch box provision and mass feeding on energy and nutrient supply at emergency shelters after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Abstract

Objectives　Improvement in the quality of meals provided after a disaster is an important issue. We reanalyzed the data obtained from the dietary survey of emergency shelters in Miyagi Prefecture 2 and 3 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 to improve the quality of meals at emergency shelters.

Methods　We performed a secondary analysis of the data from the dietary survey conducted by the Miyagi prefectural government. Two hundred and forty-one and 49 emergency shelters participated in the 1-day dietary survey in May 2011 and June 2011, respectively. We targeted emergency shelters that had no missing data and provided 3 meals a day. As a result, we targeted 216 emergency shelters in May and 49 in June. We examined the amounts of nutrients (i.e. energy, protein, vitamin B₁, vitamin B₂, and vitamin C) and food groups (i.e. cereal, potatoes, meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, vegetables, fruits, and fats) in meal portions provided in lunch boxes, rationing, and mass feeding.

Results　We found significant differences in the amounts of energy and nutrients in the meals provided at the emergency shelters 2 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake but found no significant differences 3 months after the disaster. The amounts of energy, protein, seafood, and fats were high, and those of vitamins B₁ and C, potatoes, and vegetables were low, at the emergency shelters where lunch boxes were provided. The amounts of potatoes, meat, and vegetables were high at the emergency shelters where mass feeding was conducted.

Conclusion　Two months after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the provision of lunch boxes at emergency shelters may have increased the amounts of energy, protein, and seafood in meals served to survivors, whereas the amounts of vitamins B₁ and C have remained low. These results indicate that providing lunch boxes at an early stage in the event of a disaster can improve energy and protein supply. We believe a combination of lunch box and mass feeding will improve the nutrient supply at emergency shelters.