In 2005, the Diet enacted the basic law on education on eating habits (shokuiku) to promote healthful eating habits. This move came against the backdrop of a deterioration in the country's dietary culture, which traditionally has been considered well-balanced and healthy.
With the postwar economic boom came changes in people's lifestyles and eating habits, resulting in irregular meals, nutritional deficiencies, obesity, lifestyle-related illnesses such as diabetes, extreme dieting and large-scale food wastage.
The dietary law led to the adoption of a basic plan to strengthen education on eating habits from fiscal 2006 to fiscal 2010. It has numerical targets, including a reduction in the percentage of elementary school students who skip breakfast from 4 percent in fiscal 2000 to zero percent in fiscal 2010, and of men in their 20s and 30s who skip breakfast from 30 percent and 23 percent, respectively, in fiscal 2003 to 15 percent or less in 2010.
A February-March 2009 survey carried out by the Cabinet Office shows that 33.5 percent of the polled — 21.7 percent of men and 42.8 percent of women — are concerned or uneasy about their eating habits. Of these, 69.8 percent pointed out that food safety was their main worry; 62.3 percent, their own health; 57 percent, their family's health; 33.5 percent, left over or discarded food; and 27.9 percent, food supply (multiple answers were OK). While 45.5 percent said they wanted to improve their eating habits, 44.3 percent said they do not need to change.
It is important that schools and public health centers teach children and adults useful, lifelong knowledge about food and help them improve their eating habits. Such education also should nurture people's interest in traditional local dietary culture. School lunches have a role to play. The basic plan calls for using more locally grown food in school lunches (from 21 percent in fiscal 2004 to 30 percent or more in fiscal 2010).
It is time to remember again that good eating habits are key to a long, happy life, both physically and mentally.
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