Validity and reproducibility of food photographic estimation for evaluating meals in evacuation shelters

Objective: The primary goal was to evaluate the validity of food photographic estimation for nutritional assessment compared with weighed food record (WFR). Methods: We evaluated the validity and reproducibility of photographic estimation of foods provided in evacuation shelters. We analyzed 35 meals served at 12 shelters in Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan, affected by a heavy rain disaster in 2020. In this context, we compared 21 senior students' portion size estimation by food photographs to WFR. In addition, we assigned five meals for each of the 21 senior students, and the same meal photograph was estimated by three students to test reproducibility. Results: No statistically significant difference was detected between the two methods regarding energy, the total grams of meal, the protein, and vitamins B1, B2, and C, except for salt. In addition, the students who never self-cooked underestimated the total grams. Conclusion: Food photographic estimation could simplify the nutritional assessment in evacuation shelters. However, unclear photographs and food items served by weight could weaken the estimation accuracy. According to previous studies and the applied postestimation questionnaire, photographs taken from specified angles and reference food photobooks for portion size estimation may improve accuracy

Analysis of Necessary Support in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster Area

Altogether, 1588 dietitians were dispatched from the Japan Dietetic Association (JDA) to a disaster area for the first time on a nationwide scale following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Various studies have been conducted based on the activity reports, but the support that the disaster area requested was not documented. The purpose of this study is to identify the support that was needed in the disaster area. Therefore, we investigated the necessary support desired by dietitians who lived in the disaster areas. Questionnaires were sent to 1911 dietitians who were members of the JDA and lived in 3 affected prefectures in August 2012. In total, 435 dietitians (22.8%) completed the questionnaire. Among the questions on the questionnaire, we analyzed answers to the open-ended question: “Please write freely about the support that you wanted at the time of the disaster” (n = 332). Using qualitative descriptive analysis, we extracted data from the answers and categorized and labeled them into similar groups. These groups were divided into four categories: (1) “goods,” (2) “establishing a system in advance of a large-scale disaster,” (3) “information,” and (4) “human resources.” To provide “goods,” “information,” and “human resources” to the disaster area smoothly, it is important to plan a “system” in advance of large-scale disasters

Association between Health Practice and Food Stockpiling for Disaster

In this study investigated the association between health practices and food stockpiling for disasters in predicted areas with a high risk of food shortage due to the Nankai Trough earthquake. A survey was conducted during 18–20 December 2019 using a self-administered web-based questionnaire. In total, 1200 individuals registered with an online survey company participated in the study. The association between health practices and food stockpiling status was analyzed (n = 998). 59.1% of participants had a poor Breslow’s seven health practice scores (BHPS), 32.9% had a moderate score, and 8.0% had a good score. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that higher BHPS had a significantly higher prevalence of food stockpiling. Additionally, the interrupted group had the highest percentage of participants with low BHPS. Lower BHPS was significantly associated with interrupted stockpiled in the adjusted models. Among the seven health practices, the odds ratio of the “eating breakfast” practice was high. There was a significant positive association between higher health practice scores and food stockpiling for disasters in areas with a high risk of food shortage due to the predicted earthquake. Particularly, it was clarified that individuals who had fewer good health practices were associated with ending up interrupting food stockpiling

Meal plans for meeting the reference values using food items available in shelters

Abstract Background We have suggested “Revised Nutritional Reference Values for Feeding at Evacuation Shelters” (Revised RV) as a daily nutritional recommendation for meals served at evacuation shelters where poor diets had been reported. Since there are no meal examples to satisfy the Revised RV, our objectives were, for the future meal provision, to develop nutritionally adequate meal plans using the foods served at shelters in the past and to examine if the Revised RV could be met by changing combination of foods available. Methods In this case study using secondary data, we analyzed food weights of 86 meals served and recorded at 12 shelters after the heavy rains in July 2020. We obtained these data from Kumamoto Prefecture that was damaged and asked us dietary assessment for nutrition assistance. Foods were classified into 3 types according to the check mark in the record sheets: food aid (commercial packaged food), boxed meal, and hot meal service. We counted serving frequency of each food and analyzed nutritional differences by their combinations. Menus were devised by choosing foods that were served more frequently or were more nutritious among those served at shelters. The target values for one meal were set at 1/3 of the Revised RV for energy, protein, vitamins B1, B2, and C, and salt. Results None of the meals served in the shelters satisfied the target. We created 2 menus using food aid only: (#1 curry doughnut, milk with long shelf-life, and orange jelly) and (#2 salmon rice ball, ham and cheese sandwich, and vegetable juice); 1 menu by combination of boxed meal and food aid: (#3 boxed meal and vegetable juice); and 2 menus by combination of hot meal service and food aid: (#4 chicken meatball soup, packaged tofu, soy sauce, preprocessed white rice, and bottled green tea) and (#5 bamboo shoots rice, chicken and vegetable miso soup, and bottled green tea). Planned menus generally contained more energy, protein, and vitamins and less salt than the meals served. Their vitamin C contents were especially higher. Conclusion Nutritionally adequate meals could be planned by changing the combination of foods available in shelters