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Dallant T, Bozonnet A, Delarocque-Astagneau E, Gautier S, Koné A, Grasteau V, Rouquette A, Herr M. Development and evaluation of a food literacy questionnaire for schoolchildren in France. Appetite 2024; 199:107420. [PMID: 38744402 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Food literacy is gaining importance in nutrition education programs for children. To date, food literacy assessment tools have been developed in many countries, however, none exist in France. The objectives of this study were to develop a questionnaire and to evaluate its measurement properties among French schoolchildren aged 8-11 years. The questionnaire was developed in three phases: i) item selection (literature review and adaptation or creation of items) and content validity (submission to an expert panel), ii) questionnaire development including a pre-test in a small sample of children (n = 41) and item reduction and dimensionality based on the responses of children who completed the questionnaire in 31 schools between December 2022 and March 2023, and iii) questionnaire evaluation in terms of reliability, validity and acceptability. In total, 1187 responses were included in the analysis. The mean age of the children was 9.6 ± 0.7 years (girls: 51.2%, boys: 48.8%). The development process resulted in a 25-item questionnaire with good acceptability and satisfactory estimated reliability (McDonald omega coefficient = 0.73). Factor evaluation revealed a three-dimensional structure encompassing food and nutrition knowledge, participation in food preparation activities and food habits. To our knowledge, this study was the first to assess food literacy for schoolchildren in France. Our questionnaire can contribute to assess the factors that make food literacy vary, especially regarding socioeconomic variables to target priority populations for nutrition education actions and to describe changes in food literacy scores from a longitudinal perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titiane Dallant
- Epidemiology and Public Health Department, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France
| | | | - Elisabeth Delarocque-Astagneau
- Epidemiology and Public Health Department, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France; UFR Simone-Veil Santé, Université Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France; Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Inserm U1018, UVSQ, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Sylvain Gautier
- Epidemiology and Public Health Department, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France; UFR Simone-Veil Santé, Université Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France; Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Inserm U1018, UVSQ, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Ali Koné
- Fondation JDB Prévention Cancer, Fontenay-les-Briis, France
| | | | - Alexandra Rouquette
- Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Inserm U1018, UVSQ, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France; Public Health Department, Bicêtre Hospital, AP-HP, Bicêtre, France; UFR de médecine, Université Paris-Saclay, Bicêtre, France
| | - Marie Herr
- Epidemiology and Public Health Department, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France; UFR Simone-Veil Santé, Université Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France; Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Inserm U1018, UVSQ, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France.
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Jindarattanaporn N, Kelly B, Punpuing S, Phulkerd S. Development of a questionnaire for assessing the impact of children's food marketing exposure on diet-related outcomes. BMJ Nutr Prev Health 2024; 7:174-182. [PMID: 38966107 PMCID: PMC11221310 DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2024-000912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The Government of Thailand has drafted legislation to protect children from the harmful impact of unhealthy food (including beverages) marketing. Local evidence on Thai children's exposure to, and the impact of, this marketing is necessary to, first, support the adoption of this Law and, second, to contribute to assessing policy implementation and effectiveness. This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire for examining Thai children's exposure to unhealthy food marketing and its impact on diet-related outcomes. Materials and methods To design the questionnaire, we first conceptualised the range of impacts of unhealthy food marketing on children's diet-related outcomes based on published frameworks. These outcomes related to food brand loyalty, preference, purchase and consumption. We conducted a literature review to gather related questions used in earlier surveys to assess these outcomes. Using these questions, we assessed content validity with five experts. Face validity and reliability were assessed for 32 children. Validity was assessed using Content Validity Index (CVI) and Kappa statistics. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results We identified 15 survey questions that had been used to assess the outcomes of interest. The CVI of all questions was 1.0, indicating perfect agreement with each question's relevance by the experts. Most questions were perceived to be easy to read and comprehend, suggesting face validity. Cronbach's alpha and ICC of all questions were both 0.75, demonstrating internal consistency across responses to questions about, separately, brand loyalty, preferences, purchase and consumption. Conclusion The final 15-item questionnaire provides a valid and reliable survey instrument for measuring the impact of unhealthy food marketing on children's diet-related outcomes. This instrument will be useful for gathering local evidence on the need for policy reform to protect children from unhealthy food marketing in Thailand. The instrument also provides a cost-effective approach for generating evidence in other jurisdictions to propel policy actions. This is a pilot study and the validity and reliability needs further testing after a larger-scale roll-out.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bridget Kelly
- Early Start, School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sureeporn Punpuing
- Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Sirinya Phulkerd
- Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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Ares G, De Rosso S, Mueller C, Philippe K, Pickard A, Nicklaus S, van Kleef E, Varela P. Development of food literacy in children and adolescents: implications for the design of strategies to promote healthier and more sustainable diets. Nutr Rev 2024; 82:536-552. [PMID: 37339527 PMCID: PMC10925906 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Food literacy has emerged as a key individual trait to promote the transformation of food systems toward healthy and sustainable diets. Childhood and adolescence are key periods for establishing the foundations of eating habits. Different food literacy competencies are acquired as children develop different cognitive abilities, skills, and experiences, contributing to the development of critical tools that allow them to navigate a complex food system. Thus, the design and implementation of programs to support the development of food literacy from early childhood can contribute to healthier and more sustainable eating habits. In this context, the aim of the present narrative review is to provide an in-depth description of how different food literacy competencies are developed in childhood and adolescence, integrating the extensive body of evidence on cognitive, social, and food-related development. Implications for the development of multisectoral strategies to target the multidimensional nature of food literacy and promote the development of the 3 types of competencies (relational, functional, and critical) are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gastón Ares
- Sensometrics & Consumer Science, Instituto Polo Tecnológico de Pando, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Pando, Canelones, Uruguay
| | - Sofia De Rosso
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Institut Agro, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Carina Mueller
- Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Kaat Philippe
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Institut Agro, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
- School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Abigail Pickard
- Center for Food and Hospitality Research, Cognitive Science, Institut Paul Bocuse Research Center, Lyon, France
- Laboratoire d’Etude de l’Apprentissage et du Développement–Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR5022, University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
- School of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Nicklaus
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Institut Agro, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Ellen van Kleef
- Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Paula Varela
- Nofima AS, Ås, Norway
- Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, The Norwegian University of Life Science, Ås, Norway
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Kraak VI. Children and teens must develop digital literacy skills to navigate complex and evolving food ecosystems. Nutr Rev 2023:nuad153. [PMID: 38114093 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuad153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ares et al 2023 discussed multisectoral strategies that practitioners could use to foster food literacy competencies (ie, relational, functional, and critical) across the lifespan. This letter encourages the authors to include digital food and nutrition literacy skills to help children and teens navigate a complex food ecosystem shaped by digital technologies. Existing digital food and nutrition literacy models and metrics could be adapted to enable young people to make healthy dietary choices within future sustainable food systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivica I Kraak
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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Groufh-Jacobsen S, Larsson C, Van Daele W, Margerison C, Mulkerrins I, Aasland LM, Medin AC. Food literacy and diet quality in young vegans, lacto-ovo vegetarians, pescatarians, flexitarians and omnivores. Public Health Nutr 2023; 26:3051-3061. [PMID: 37781775 PMCID: PMC10755439 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980023002124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether food literacy competencies and diet quality vary between 16-to-24-year-olds vegans, lacto-ovo vegetarians, pescatarians, flexitarians and omnivores and to assess whether food literacy is associated with diet quality. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. Food literacy (general nutrition knowledge, critical nutrition literacy and food skills) and diet quality were measured using an electronic questionnaire. SETTING Southern Norway, September 2021 - March 2022. PARTICIPANTS Healthy 16-24-year-olds (n 165). RESULTS Overall, the mean general nutrition knowledge score was moderate (48·0 out of 67·0); the lowest mean score was found in omnivores and the highest in flexitarians (45·6 v. 51·5) (P = 0·034). The mean score of critical nutrition literacy was also moderate (3·7 out of 5·0); vegans showed higher scores compared to other dietary practices (P = 0·018). No difference was observed in food skills between the different dietary practices. The overall median diet quality score was 46·0 out of 80·0, lowest in omnivores and highest in vegans (42·0 v. 56·0) (P =< 0·001). In multivariate regression analyses, general nutrition knowledge, food skills and vegan dietary practice were significantly associated with higher diet quality. CONCLUSIONS We found moderate levels of food literacy across all dietary practices. The food literacy competencies, general nutrition knowledge and food skills were associated with higher diet quality in our sample. Omnivores showed both the lowest general nutrition knowledge level and lowest diet quality scores. In contrast, both flexitarians and vegans scored highest on general nutrition knowledge and diet quality scores, despite being one of the less restrictive and one of the strictest plant-based dietary practices, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Synne Groufh-Jacobsen
- Department of Nutrition and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sport Science, University of Agder, Universitetsveien 25, Kristiansand, Agder4630, Norway
| | - Christel Larsson
- Department of Food and Nutrition, and Sport Science, Faculty of Education, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - Wim Van Daele
- Department of Nutrition and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sport Science, University of Agder, Universitetsveien 25, Kristiansand, Agder4630, Norway
| | - Claire Margerison
- Deakin University, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Isabelle Mulkerrins
- Department of Food and Nutrition, and Sport Science, Faculty of Education, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - Lale Marie Aasland
- Department of Nutrition and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sport Science, University of Agder, Universitetsveien 25, Kristiansand, Agder4630, Norway
| | - Anine Christine Medin
- Department of Nutrition and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sport Science, University of Agder, Universitetsveien 25, Kristiansand, Agder4630, Norway
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Mengi Çelik Ö, Karacil Ermumcu MS, Ozyildirim C. Turkish version of the 'food and nutrition literacy questionnaire for Chinese school-age children' for school-age adolescents: a validity and reliability study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1807. [PMID: 37716935 PMCID: PMC10505319 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16732-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this study, it was aimed to examine the psychometric characteristics of the scale named 'Food and Nutrition Literacy Questionnaire for Chinese School-age Children (FNLQ-SC)' in Turkish school age adolescents. METHODS The research was carried out with 341 school-age adolescents aged 10 to 17 years. The Cronbach's α coefficient was used to evaluate internal consistency reliability and the test-retest method was applied. The construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the content validity was assessed by the Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS EFA indicated that the Turkish version of FNLQ-SC had three factorial structures that accounted for 42.0% of the total variance. The overall Turkish version of FNLQ-SC questionnaire had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.679). The dimensional structure obtained in the EFA was controlled by CFA and the three-factor model showed acceptable goodness-of-fit indices (χ2/df = 1.924, RMSEA = 0.052, CFI = 0.864, GFI = 0.949). The Pearson correlation coefficients between each dimension and the overall questionnaire ranged from 0.300 to 0.842. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that age, gender, grade of class, being an only child and discussing nutrition information with families had an effect on food and nutrition literacy (R2 = 0.312; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The Turkish version of FNLQ-SC has good reliability and construct validity to assess the food and nutrition literacy of Turkish school age adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özge Mengi Çelik
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Gulhane Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Merve Seyda Karacil Ermumcu
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Akdeniz University, Dumlupinar Boulevard International Relations Office Rectorate 6th Floor 07058 Campus, Antalya, Türkiye.
| | - Caner Ozyildirim
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Akdeniz University, Dumlupinar Boulevard International Relations Office Rectorate 6th Floor 07058 Campus, Antalya, Türkiye
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Groufh-Jacobsen S, Medin AC. Food literacy competencies in youth - a mini-review. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1185410. [PMID: 37546302 PMCID: PMC10399226 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1185410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Young people's transition into adulthood is an opportunity in the life course to establish adequate eating behaviors, hence exploring food literacy competencies in this period of life is especially important. Food literacy has recently gained increased attention in adults, adolescents, and younger children, but less is published about youth. This paper aims to summarize what tools have been used to measure food literacy and the sub-competence nutrition literacy in youth aged 16-24 years in the previous 5 years. Methods A mini-literature review was conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE via Ovid, in September 2022. Study eligible criteria; had to be an original article, using a tool to quantitatively assess food literacy and/or nutrition literacy, including participants between 16-24 years, full text available in English, published between 2017-2022. Results A total of 958 articles were identified, of which 385 duplicates were removed. Thus, 573 articles were screened by title/abstract. Finally, nine articles were eligible for data extraction of which four proposed a tool to measure food literacy and five proposed a tool to measure nutrition literacy. Discussion and conclusion Although four studies claimed to measure food literacy, none of these used tools comprehensive enough to measure all aspects of food literacy, and only one was validated in young people. This study shows that only few tools exist for the measurement of food literacy in youth, and those available are scant. Further work is needed to develop a food literacy tool for youth.
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Silva P. Food and Nutrition Literacy: Exploring the Divide between Research and Practice. Foods 2023; 12:2751. [PMID: 37509843 PMCID: PMC10378922 DOI: 10.3390/foods12142751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This study addresses the growing recognition of the importance of food and nutrition literacy, while highlighting the limited research in this field, particularly the gap between research and practice. A bibliometric analysis of publications on food and nutrition literacy research from the Scopus database was carried out. Endnote 20, VOSviewer, and Harzing's Publish or Perish were used to analyze the results. The growth of publications, authorship patterns, collaboration, prolific authors, country contributions, preferred journals, and top-cited articles were the bibliometric indicators used. Subsequently, articles aimed at measuring food or nutrition literacy-implemented programs were analyzed. Existing studies have primarily concentrated on defining and measuring food or nutrition literacy. Although interventions targeting food and nutritional literacy have shown promise in promoting healthy eating, further research is required to identify effective approaches in diverse populations and settings. This study emphasizes the need for additional research to measure intervention program efficacy to enhance the policies and practices in this critical area of public health. These findings underscore the importance of understanding food/nutrition literacy and developing effective interventions to promote healthy eating habits. By bridging the research-practice divide, this study provides valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to address the gaps and improve food/nutrition literacy in various contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Silva
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (U.Porto), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- iNOVA Media Lab, ICNOVA-NOVA Institute of Communication, NOVA School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1069-061 Lisbon, Portugal
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Gao T, Duan Y, Qi Q, Mo G, Han S, Liu H, Zhang M. Nutrition literacy differs based on demographics among University students in Bengbu, China. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1113211. [PMID: 36935682 PMCID: PMC10020653 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1113211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Nutrition literacy (NL) encompasses the knowledge and skills that inform individuals' food choices. This cross-sectional study explored factors associated with NL among Chinese university students in Bengbu, China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out. Two thousand one hundred thirty-three university students were selected by stratified cluster sampling. A 43-item NL questionnaire was used to assess NL. Binary logistic regression was used to determine odds ratios (ORs) along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for NL and to test the interaction effects of multiple factors on total NL and its six dimensions. Results Of these participants, 1,399 (65.6%) were women and 734 (34.4%) were men. Students who were from urban areas (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.08-1.72), were living with both parents (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.65), and had high academic performance (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.34-2.57) were more likely to report higher NL levels than did other students. The ORs for NL (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.06-2.41), nutrition knowledge (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.00-2.26), obtaining skills (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.16-2.65), and critical skills (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.05-2.39) were higher for medical students who had received nutrition education than for other students. The ORs for NL (OR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.21-4.84), nutrition understanding (OR = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.28-5.25), and interactive skills (OR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.04-4.08) were higher for only-child students and those with a monthly expenditure of >¥1500. Conclusions NL of university students differed in terms of place of origin, living arrangement, nutrition education, academic performance, and household income, and the findings imply that universities should have all students take a basic nutrition course to improve their NL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianjing Gao
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Ying Duan
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Qi Qi
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Guangju Mo
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Siyue Han
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Huaqing Liu
- School of Public Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
- *Correspondence: Huaqing Liu
| | - Min Zhang
- School of Health Management, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China
- Min Zhang
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How Primary School Curriculums in 11 Countries around the World Deliver Food Education and Address Food Literacy: A Policy Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19042019. [PMID: 35206208 PMCID: PMC8871606 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: As one of the biggest drivers of health and climate change, the food system has unrealised potential to influence consumption toward affordable, healthy, sustainable diets. A range of policy levers, including mandating food education, are needed. Schools are considered the best place for food education and childhood is a crucial period when eating habits that persist into adulthood are formed. Food education as part of the curriculum is crucial in generating population shifts in food systems improvements. The purpose of this policy analysis was to analyse mandatory curriculums in different countries to explore the ways in which primary school food education addresses food literacy. (2) Methods: This study analyses how food education within primary school education policy, in 11 countries, addresses Food Literacy (FL). It is the first study of this kind. A case study methodology was employed, and curriculum policy content analysis was conducted using a Food Literacy framework. (3) Results: Each country has a curriculum dedicated to food education, supported by food education in non-food curriculums. There is no standardized approach to primary school food education policy, no consensus in primary food education nomenclature or what curriculums constitute. Curriculums focus on cooking and health topics, but significantly less on social-cultural, equity, and sustainability issues. (4) Conclusion: How primary curriculums around the world deliver food education policy to address FL varies enormously. All 11 countries have dedicated food curriculums, supported by non-food curriculums, but there is no consensus as to what food education is called or constitutes. Countries rarely deal with FL comprehensively. The most comprehensive are single, detailed food curriculums, complemented by non-food curriculums where food knowledge and skills progress clearly and are the intended learning outcome.
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