Expectations for “Shokuiku” (Food and Nutrition Education and Promotion)

The term “shokuiku, which means food and nutrition education and promotion”, has recently come into nationwide use. However, its concepts and aims seem to be ambiguous. The officially stated concepts and aims of “shokuiku” are reviewed and analyzed in this paper.This analysis is based on the many definitions and descriptions specifying “shokuiku” in relation to understanding the importance of food and nutrition, choosing foods considered nutritional and safe, and developing eating behavior that will improve physical and mental health and human development. These objectives are reasonably consistent with the aims that have been applied to nutrition education. This analysis is examined by using “Shokuiku matrix”.Some descriptions place emphasis on the historical train of food production, transportation, disposition and reuse in the community. It is therefore necessary to approach “shokuiku” from the perspectives of both building dietary capability to develop a global image of nutrition and food choices, and of creating a supportive nutritional environment. We have defined “shokuiku” (nutrition education) as the effort for better and more harmonious coexistence between people's quality of life (QOL) and quality of environment (QOE) by educating on the whole aspects of food and nutrition history, building dietary capability and creating a practical nutritional environment. The expression food and nutrition history' includes that at the individual level, family and peer level, and community level. It is the role of the Japanese Society of Nutrition and Dietetics to provide further research and education for people in this context.