Objective: This study aimed to identify the association between childhood experiences, dietary education, and current dietary literacy among university students.

Methods: A questionnaire survey using Google Forms was conducted among first- to fourth-year university students in Hyogo Prefecture from the end of June to July 2022. Data on students' characteristics, current average media usage time (min/day), current average reading time of books on nutrition and diet (min/day), dietary literacy, current food environment, childhood experiences, and dietary education were collected. Dietary literacy scores were categorized into high and low. Childhood experiences and dietary education were compared between both groups and analyzed using binomial logistic regression analysis.

Results: Binomial logistic regression analysis, adjusting for confounders, revealed that the odds ratios for high dietary literacy score were significantly higher for men (n=129) who read books, followed regular mealtimes, and had conversations about healthy foods and nutrition, the nutritional balance of the "three food groups," and nutritional value of foods during childhood. The odds ratio for a high dietary literacy score was significantly higher in women (n=184) who had conversations about healthy foods and nutrition during childhood.

Conclusion: Dietary literacy in university students was associated with conversations about healthy foods and nutrition during childhood. Additionally, reading books and having regular mealtimes during childhood were associated with high dietary literacy among male students.

Objective: To determine the five-year trends in food expenditure among households on welfare, both overall and by household type, based on the total food expenditure and its components.

Methods: We obtained data from the Survey on Living by Social Security conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare between financial year (FY) 2017 and 2021. The analysis included 3,961 households with 12-month average monthly income exceeding the minimum cost of living who maintained household records for all months of the survey years. We performed a single regression analysis with the average monthly actual income and expenditures, including food expenditures, as response variables and fiscal year as an independent variable.

Results: There were no significant changes in the total food expenditure during the 5 years. The expenditures on cereals and eating out showed a significant decrease, whereas expenditures on fruits, oils/seasonings, snacks, and alcoholic beverages significantly increased. There was a significant increase in snack expenditure in all household types. In FY2021, households with older residents spent the highest proportion on vegetables, seaweeds, and fruits, and the lowest on snacks and eating out. Single-mother households spent the highest proportion on meat and snacks, and the lowest on fish/seafood, fruits, and prepared foods.

Conclusion: Food expenditure is maintained in households on welfare, as the minimum cost of living is guaranteed by the welfare system. Food expenditure trends have both common and distinct aspects across household types, highlighting the importance of considering nutrition education and health management support tailored to each household type.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the patient support approach during disasters by a food supplier specializing in allergen-free foods.

Methods: In July 2023, an interview was conducted with the president and an employee of Company A, a supplier in a disaster-stricken area that provided patient support immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake. A verbatim transcript was created, and the participants' statements were extracted for each theme.

Results: The issues previously highlighted, such as burdens on the supplier and hospital because of the deprivation of manpower, time, and storage space by receiving relief supplies, and necessity of previous discussions between businesses and local governments for collaboration during disasters were confirmed. Additionally, excessive long-term relief supplies can hinder economic recovery. Newly identified points include the importance of obtaining consent from recipients before sending relief supplies, need for suppliers to carefully review support organizations and their methods of use before deciding to donate, and significance of allergen-free meal provisions during normal times for the renewal of public stockpiles. Furthermore, it was revealed that information about customers, nursery and schoolchildren, and patients could be used to identify and support evacuees at home.

Conclusions: If companies or support organizations send supplies, it is necessary to confirm the situation in the affected areas and existence of arrangements to deliver supplies to patients. Additionally, using customer lists and medical information requires the establishment of a system that protects personal information.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of providing a healthy menu at night on metabolic syndrome indicators, physical condition, and eating attitudes among shift workers.

Methods: The study design was a stratified randomized controlled trial. The participants (48 male shift workers) were randomly assigned by age (median; age ≥ 41 years) and body mass index (BMI) (obese; ≥ 25 kg/m²) to intervention (n = 23) and control (n = 25) groups. The intervention group received a 20-min nutritional education session and consumed a healthy set menu at the company canteen (mealtime; 20:20~22:00) during the nightshift 16 times over two months. The control group consumed their ordinary menu items during the same period. Data on body weight, body composition, blood pressure, biochemical parameters, physical condition, and eating attitudes were obtained from pre- and post-intervention measurements.

Results: In the intervention group, waist circumference tended to decrease than in the control group (median [25, 75^th percentile point], intervention; -1.0 [-1.5, 1.0] cm vs. ​control; 0.25 [-0.95, 1.0] cm, p = 0.067). Changes in other metabolic syndrome indicators were not significantly different between the two groups. Subjective physical condition and eating attitudes scores were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group.

Conclusion: In shift workers, the results suggest that consumption of healthy set menu at night and nutritional education may reduce waist circumference, and improve physical condition and eating attitudes.

Objective: This study examines the relationship between voluntary mealtime communication among elementary school children after and during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and their post-pandemic subjective diet-related quality of life (SDQOL) scale and eating habits.

Methods: In July 2023, a self-administered questionnaire survey was distributed to children at six public elementary schools. The survey asked children about the situation at the time of the survey and one year ago, retrospectively. Changes in their situations between the two periods (after and during the COVID-19 pandemic) were analyzed; respondents were categorized into groups based on their SDQOL levels and their frequency of spontaneous conversation; and the two groups were compared.

Results: The analysis revealed increased voluntary mealtime communication and enhanced mealtime enjoyment among both genders following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, fewer than half the children reported voluntary mealtime communication. SDQOL groups differed significantly regarding leftovers and mealtime enjoyment. Post-pandemic, the groups differed in terms of their willingness to converse during meals. Children with differing levels of voluntary mealtime communication differed in their desire to converse while eating and their enjoyment of such conversation.

Conclusion: Despite children's expressed desire to converse during meals, the frequency of voluntary mealtime communication remained low, reflecting the persistent impact of silent eating practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing these issues could lead to more effective support for school lunches and contribute to improved lifelong shokuiku (Food and Nutrition Education).

Objective: This study investigated the difference in the frequency of dietary guidance offered at schools with full-time nutrition teachers (assigned schools) that provide school lunches and dietary guidance (non-assigned schools).

Methods: An online questionnaire was administered to nutrition teachers in 10 prefectures. Wilcoxon signed-rank test, χ² test, and generalized estimating equations were used to compare the implementation of dietary guidance between schools with and without assigned nutrition teachers.

Results: The median number of classes that nutrition teachers offered annually was eight and two for assigned and non-assigned schools, respectively, whereas school dietitians offered three for assigned schools and one for non-assigned schools.

Of nutrition teachers and school dietitians, 43.8% and 25.0% reported they visited the school cafeteria "almost every day" at their assigned school, whereas only 3.2% and 3.1% of them visited it at non-assigned schools, respectively.

The odds ratio (OR) of non-assigned schools with < 5 dietary guidance classes annually conducted by nutrition teachers was 3.42, and that of non-assigned schools with < 1.5 classes annually conducted by school dieticians was 3.18. Furthermore, the OR of school nutrition teachers visiting the school cafeteria less than once a month during lunchtime was 10.77, while that of school dietitians visiting < 10 times annually was 5.93.

Conclusions: Compared to assigned schools, non-assigned schools had fewer classes conducted by nutrition teachers, and lunchtime visits were seldom.