Eating Behaviors of Children with Visual Impairments and Support

Abstract

No previous studies have investigated eating behaviors in children with different degree of visual impairment and age as possible factors affecting their food intake. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey with guardians of children with visual impairment to determine whether eating behavior is affected by the severity of visual impairment and whether eating behavior issues vary depending on age.

We requested special needs education schools for the visually impaired in four prefectures in the Tohoku region to cooperate in the questionnaire survey. Responses were collected from the guardians of 48 children (27 boys and 21 girls, aged 7-18 years). The responses obtained were coded and analyzed using logistic regression.

The analysis revealed that the needs of children with total blindness differed from those with low vision, children with total blindness needed the menus to be read out to them by others and required easy-to-use tableware. Eating behavior issues did not differ by age, the problems were found to be common across all age groups.

Teaching staff and nutritionists at schools for the visually impaired need to provide support to students according to the degree of their visual impairments and other ongoing issues, regardless of their age.