Verification of Differences in Dietary and Lifestyle Habits and Consciousness of Food Education due to Differences in Whether One can Cook Alone

Abstract

This study used the results of a food education survey conducted in 2020 targeting elementary, junior high, and high school students in Fukutsu City. This study aimed to clarify the important points regarding food education at every life stage. We also examined whether there are differences in dietary and lifestyle habits and consciousness of food education due to differences in whether one can cook alone.

Items such as breakfast intake and co-eating frequency, bedtimes, meal greetings, chewing well, and understanding of food education tended to worsen with grade progression. On the other hand, 67.7%, 70.0%, and 68.7% of elementary, junior high, and high school students, respectively, could cook by themselves, and there was no difference between target groups. Recognition of being able to cook alone was unrelated to breakfast intake frequency or living hours, but the recognition had a positive effect on eating enjoyment, positive eating behavior, and increased consciousness of food education.

Our findings demonstrated that elementary school students needed to build a lifelong foundation of dietary habits, junior high school students needed to be thoroughly educated about breakfast intake and living hours, and high school students needed a system to strengthen food education.