Informal Food Learning Environments for Improving Youth Dietary Skills

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K12919
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: FEUER HART 京都大学, 農学研究科, 特定講師 (70765510)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: Food education / Obesity / Children / Life skills / Nutrition

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Food Literacy has recently become a key point of interest for helping researchers to understand the root causes of malnutrition and for helping policymakers to re-consider food education curriculum. However, Food Literacy has primarily been conceptualized for adults. This project advanced the concept of "Food Literacy" by exploring practical ways in which children learn about diet, food culture, and the broader food system in their everyday lives. Using ethnographic research in Japan and Cambodia, this project first developed a model for Child Food Literacy. This model was used to create a protocol for measuring Food Literacy in children aged 10-17, which was piloted in numerous public and private schools in Cambodia and Japan. The results provide key insight into how environmentally aware and healthy diet behaviors can be nurtured.

Free Research Field

Agri-Food Studies

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Childhood obesity continues to rise because we have not addressed the declining Food Literacy of young people. This project developed an interactive way to measure gaps in Food Literacy among pupils. The results help communities to improve food education and social policy to support healthy diets.