In 2014, Japanese government certified 42 schools as Super Shokuiku Schools (SSS). The aims of this study were to examine the relationships between food education (shokuiku) coordinated mainly by a nutrition teacher regarding staple food, soup, and side dish intake at breakfast, and lifestyle habit, eating consciousness, and dietary intake in fifth and sixth graders at an SSS-accredited elementary school. In total, 125 fifth and sixth graders participated in a 5-day survey. The schoolchildren were classified into three groups based on the weekly frequency of staple food, soup, and side dish intake: group I: 0 times; group II: 1-2 times; and group III: 3-5 times. Eight meal patterns were identified, including 69.2% for the intake pattern recommended by the nutrition teacher. Significantly higher proportions of students in Group III said that they “eat breakfast every morning” or “eat meals considering nutritional content and balance”, and “eat breakfast or dinner together with the family”, respectively. The intake of nutrients such as iron, copper, folic acid, and dietary fiber tended to be significantly higher in Group III among both boys and girls. These results suggest that food education (shokuiku) coordinated by a nutrition teacher affect formations of healthy eating habits and eating awareness/attitudes of schoolchildren.

A questionnaire survey on food (rice, milk, grilled chicken, miso soup, and stewed radish) waste during lunchtime, lifestyle habits, food education at home, and early childhood experience with school lunches/daycare meals was conducted on 418 third- and sixth-grade students (218 boys and 200 girls) of an elementary school and 567 students (281 boys and 286 girls) of a junior high school in Osaka City in December, 2017. The association of food waste during lunchtime with lifestyle habits, food education at home, and early childhood experience with school lunches/daycare meals was then examined.

Differences in food waste across all lunch menus were observed between elementary and junior high school students. Exercise habits showed a significant positive correlation with food waste for all lunch menus. There was a significant correlation of bedtimes with not finishing milk, grilled chicken, and stewed radish. Food education at home was high in those who finished their milk, and early childhood experience with daily school lunches/daycare meals was high in those who finished their rice. These results suggest that factors affecting waste differ depending on the ingredients used for school lunches, in addition to the factors affecting overall food waste at lunch.

This study aimed to elucidate the current state of kodomo shokudo (eateries for children) and their challenges, as well as to consider measures necessary for sustainable management. In July 2017, we conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey on 200 kodomo shukudo managers across Japan (response rate: 51.0%). Approximately 60% of all facilities answered through self-evaluation that they were under good management conditions. These facilities utilized subsidies and grants, and tended to have more participants and staff. On the other hand, facilities frequently raised issues related to manpower and cost as challenges, such as “training new leaders” and “securing operating costs”. Many facilities also reported “distributing information about kodomo shokudo to those who need it” as a challenge. These challenges highlight the need for public administration, relevant organizations, the community, and schools to collaborate in supporting kodomo shokudo, as well as to offer fine-tuned support that caters to the requirements of each facility.

A survey was conducted involving female soccer players who belong to a top-level soccer team in the Japan Women’s Soccer League (top players) and junior/senior high school players who are members of its affiliated club for young soccer players (young players), to examine their awareness of health management and diet as well as their dietary habits. Both teams are from female soccer clubs to which many players represent Japan. To the question : “Do you know about the three primary characteristics of female athletes (a lack of energy, menstrual abnormalities, stress fracture/osteoporosis)”, the rates of top and young players who answered “Yes” were 80 and 48%, respectively ; the difference was significant (p<0.05). There was a significant difference in the status of milk intake (p=0.013) ; whereas 55% of top players “rarely drank milk”, 48% of young players “drank it almost every day”. There was a significant difference in the status of cheese intake (p=0.033) ; whereas 40% of top players “rarely ate it”, 52% of young players “ate it twice or three times a week”. The rate of supplement intake was higher among top players (32%) compared with young players (5%). Regarding reasons for eating and drinking after soccer games, “recovery from fatigue” was cited as a cause by 100 and 55% of top and young players, respectively, and 44 and 86% of top and young players ate and drank “from hunger”, respectively ; the differences were significant (p<0.01 each). The results of the survey provided the following valuable knowledge required to support female athletes in the future : it is necessary to implement education on the three primary characteristics of female athletes for young soccer players who may be selected as members of the national team ; there is a difference in milk/supplement intake between top and young players ; and they eat and drink for different reasons after soccer games.

In this study, we examined the relationship between the consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (including icosapentaenoic acid [IPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and mental health in Japanese women during late pregnancy and postpartum. After recruiting 135 Japanese women attending late pregnancy antenatal classes at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Nagoya between March and July 2017, we surveyed their lifestyle, dietary habits, and mental health status using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Mental Component Score (MCS) of the Health-related Quality of Life (SF-8). The average habitual daily intakes of energy, IPA, and DHA were 1605 kcal/day, 148.8mg/day, and 297.7mg/day, respectively. For mental health status, EPDS scores during late pregnancy and postpartum were 6.1 and 4.9, GHQ-12 scores 2.0 and 1.0, and MCS 50.4 and 49.6, respectively. During both late pregnancy and postpartum, consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids had a significant inverse relationship with EPDS scores and a positive association with MCS. Multiple regression analysis with EPDS scores and MCS as the dependent variables and DHA consumption as the independent variable and with age and employment status (working or not) as confounding variables revealed a significant inverse association between EPDS scores and DHA intake. These results suggest that consumption of n-3 fatty acids may improve depression in pregnant Japanese women.