2021 Volume 15 Issue 1 Pages 39-48
To clarify placement of registered dieticians/nutritionists and current status of food education and emergency food stockpile among early childhood education and care (ECEC) facilities (certified nursery schools and centers for ECEC) in major cities, a questionnaire survey was conducted. The rates of implementing food-related approaches through collaboration and cooperation with parents and those concerned in the community were 62.5 and 31.2%, respectively. The rate of creating “food education plans”, covering meal provision, based on general plans was lower among ECEC facilities without the presence of registered dieticians/nutritionists. In addition, the rate of providing food education to local child-rearing families was lower among ECEC facilities without the presence of registered dieticians/nutritionists. Furthermore, the rate of storing emergency food was 85.6%, and 59.4% of these facilities stored a surplus of emergency food for all children belonging to the facility. On comparing ECEC facilities with and without full-time registered dieticians/nutritionists, the emergency food storage rate was higher in the former. The results indicate the necessity of full-time registered dieticians/nutritionists at ECEC facilities, and further promoting food education for children and parenting households in their communities.
