Shokuiku
Encyclopedia
Shokuiku is the Japanese
term for "food
education
". The law defines it as the "acquisition of knowledge about food and nutrition
, as well as the ability to make appropriate decisions through practical experience with food, with the aim of developing people's ability to live on a health
y diet
".
It was initiated by Sagen Ishizuka
, a famous military doctor and pioneer of the macrobiotic diet
. Following the introduction of Western fast food
in the late 20th century, the Japanese government mandated education in nutrition and food origins, starting with the Basic Law of Shokuiku in 2005, and followed with the School Health Law in 2008. Universities have established programs to teach shokuiku in public schools, as well as investigating its effectiveness through academic study.
Major concerns that led to the development of shokuiku law include:
Classes in shokuiku will study the processes of making food, such as farming or fermentation; how additives create flavor; and where food comes from.
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
term for "food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
". The law defines it as the "acquisition of knowledge about food and nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
, as well as the ability to make appropriate decisions through practical experience with food, with the aim of developing people's ability to live on a health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
y diet
Diet (nutrition)
In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat. With the word diet, it is often implied the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management...
".
It was initiated by Sagen Ishizuka
Sagen Ishizuka
was a doctor in the Imperial Japanese Army who pioneered the concepts of shokuiku and the macrobiotic diet. He was one of the first to investigate the nutritional value of whole grains as well as sea vegetables, daikon, and kudzu.-Biography:...
, a famous military doctor and pioneer of the macrobiotic diet
Macrobiotic diet
A macrobiotic diet , from "macro" and "bios" , a dietary regimen which involves eating grains as a staple food supplemented with other foodstuffs such as local vegetables avoiding the use of highly processed or refined foods and most animal products...
. Following the introduction of Western fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
in the late 20th century, the Japanese government mandated education in nutrition and food origins, starting with the Basic Law of Shokuiku in 2005, and followed with the School Health Law in 2008. Universities have established programs to teach shokuiku in public schools, as well as investigating its effectiveness through academic study.
Major concerns that led to the development of shokuiku law include:
- Schoolchildren skipping breakfast.
- Children purchasing meals at a convenience store instead of eating with their parents.
- Families not eating meals together.
Classes in shokuiku will study the processes of making food, such as farming or fermentation; how additives create flavor; and where food comes from.