Objective: The present study aimed to examine the association between household income and the intake of foods and nutrients by Japanese schoolchildren, and any differences between days with and without school lunch. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Children, with the support of their parents, kept dietary records with photographs for 4 d (2 d with school lunch and 2 d without). The socio-economic status of each family was obtained from a questionnaire completed by the parents. Setting: Japan. Subjects: All students in 5th grade (10-11 years old) at nineteen schools in four prefectures and their parents (1447 pairs of students and parents) were invited to take part in the study; 836 pairs of complete data sets were analysed. Results: The average results of four days of dietary records showed that lower income level was associated with a lower intake of fish/shellfish, green vegetables and sugar at the food group level, a lower intake of protein and several micronutrients, and a higher energy intake from carbohydrates at the nutrient level among the children. These associations between income and food/nutrient intake were not significant on days with school lunches, but were significant on days without school lunch. Conclusions: Our study confirmed an association between household income and the amount of foods and nutrients consumed by Japanese schoolchildren, and suggested that school lunches play a role in reducing disparities in the diets of children from households with various incomes.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESThis study aimed to examine the association of Japanese schoolchildren's involvement in at-home meal preparation with food intake and cooking skill.SUBJECTS/METHODSWe included 1,207 fifth-grade children aged 10-11 years and one parent of each child. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data on involvement in at-home meal preparation. Correspondence analysis was used to classify involvement in at-home meal preparation into three groups: food-related activities (cooking only or with other activities such as shopping, table-setting, clean up, and dishwashing), non-food-related activities (table-setting and/or clean up), and no (helping) activities. Food intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to examine involvement in at-home meal preparation associations.RESULTSThe sample consisted of 1,207 fifth-grade children. Vegetable intake was lower in the no (helping) activities group than the food-related activities group (95% CI; boys: 1.2, 5.1, girls: 2.0, 8.9). Fewer children in the non-food-related activities group reported they were able to make a portion of their meals compared with the food-related activities group (95% CI; boys: 1.6, 3.5; girls: 1.5, 3.2).CONCLUSIONSChildren in the food-related activities group showed more favorable food intake and cooking skills than children in the no (helping) activities or non-food-related activities group.

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Objective: This study examines the association between the household income of families and food intake of Japanese schoolchildren.Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a self-reported questionnaire was conducted among children in Results: The chi-squared tests showed a significant association between the frequencies each of breakfast, vegetable consumption, snack noodles, eating out, and household income. The low-income group had lower frequencies of breakfast, vegetable consumption and eating out. They had higher intake frequencies of meat/fish products and snack noodles than the high-income group. Conclusions:The results show that the household income of families is associated with the food intake frequency of Japanese schoolchildren.Jpn. J. Nutr. Diet., 75 (1) 19～28 (2017)

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