This study examined the association between attitudes toward food and chewing habits in elementary school students. Self-report questionnaires were conducted among 670 students, between third and sixth grade, at elementary schools in Tokyo, Japan in March 2018. We asked children, “Do you chew your food well?’ Answers were given on a 4-point scale, and children were divided into 3 groups for analysis according to answers : well, moderately, and not well. We used chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression analysis to examine the association between attitudes toward food and chewing habits. A total of 662 students answered the questionnaire (99.8% response rate), with results revealing 231 children chewing well, 383 moderately, and 45 not well. Logistic regression analysis showed that attitudes toward food that were positively related to good chewing habits were gratitude for their food and the person who grew and provided food, feeling “mottainai”, and being interested in food systems and seasonal food. Results showed that children with good chewing habits had positive attitudes toward food. Therefore, encouraging positive feelings such as gratitude for their food and the person who grew and provided food, and enjoying their food may help promote good chewing habits in children.

A questionnaire survey on food waste from rice, milk, grilled chicken, miso soup, and stewed radish during lunchtime, on lifestyle habits, food education at home, and on early childhood experience with school lunches/daycare meals was conducted on 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, early childhood experience with school lunches/daycare meals and food waste status of school meals at elementary school was then examined.

We analyzed and investigated how “milk waste” during school meals and “milk waste due to disliking the taste of milk” were associated with food waste of school meals, lifestyle habits, cautions received during meal time at home, early childhood experience with daily school lunches/daycare meals, and food waste status of school meals at elementary school. “Milk waste” was associated with food waste of all types of dishes of school meal, exercise habits, bedtime, and elementary school meal food waste. Moreover, some factors affecting milk waste showed a sex difference. Specifically, exercise habit was suggested to be associated with boys and overall school meal food waste, bedtime, and food education at home were suggested to be associated with girls. “Milk waste due to disliking the taste of milk” was associated early childhood experience with daily school lunches/daycare meals in addition to factors associated with “milk waste.”

This study focused on family dinner frequency and voluntary mealtime communication (VMC), and explored the cross-sectional associations with dietary intake among adolescents.

Methods: Data from 598 students (303 boys and 295 girls) in the 8th grade from all middle schools in Sakado city with valid responses were analyzed. Students answered a questionnaire on dietary life, and a brief self-administered diet history questionnaire for adolescents (BDHQ15y). Students were divided into following four groups. Among students having family dinners 4 times or more /week, those who engaged in substantial VMC were group A, whereas those who engaged in minimal VMC were group B. Similarly, among students having family dinners 3 times or less /week, those with substantial VMC were group C, and those with minimal VMC were group D. Dietary intakes were energy-adjusted using a density method. ANCOVA was performed to compare dietary intake, adjusted for mother’s working status and the degree of obesity.

Results: A total of 35 boys (11.6%) and 109 girls (36.9%) were included in group A. Girls in group A were more likely to report higher intake of vegetables, fiber, vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, and copper than group B. Such differences were not found among boys.

Conclusion: Among adolescent girls who have regular family dinner occasions, students who engaged in substantial VMC were more likely to have better dietary intakes.

From early childhood, it is necessary to develop the ability to establish a desirable diet. A cooking seminar that allows children to practice cooking can be an important tool. Previous research on cooking seminars held outside of school classes mostly investigated seminars of up to three sessions, and there are few reports on the effects of long-term cooking seminars on meal preparation at home. In this study, we followed 31 children (2 males and 29 females), who continuously participated in five cooking seminars over a total of 6 months, and investigated changes in their dietary awareness and food attitudes at home. After the end of each cooking seminar, we conducted a questionnaire survey on the children. Results of children attending all seminars showed that as the number of times of attendance increased, so did the enjoyment of cooking, and the motivation for cooking and preparing food at home increased. Increased participation also tended to lead to cooking practices at home. This study suggested that continuous participation in cooking seminars has a positive effect on children’s interest in and attitudes toward food, and on their attitudes toward meal preparation at home.