Globalization, localization and food culture: perceived roles of social and cultural capitals in healthy child feeding practices in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
The current study examined parental perceptions of sociocultural factors associated with healthy child feeding practices among parents of preschool-age children in rural Japan.


METHODS
Fifteen Japanese mothers of preschool-age children participated in this qualitative study. These participants were aged 22-39 years and resided in a rural town in western Japan. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews to assess parental perceptions of healthy child feeding practices and their relationships with globalization and localization. These interviews were transcribed, translated into English and coded, based on the principles of grounded theory. A codebook was developed and pre-identified, and the newly-identified themes from this codebook were examined and compared.


RESULTS
Overall, local and seasonal foods, along with traditional Japanese foods and simple foods (soshoku), were considered to be beneficial for children. Participants also noted that children were expected to be mindful and exhibit good table manners that reflect cultural values related to meal-time socializing or family bonding, and food appreciation. On the other hand, the majority of the participants stated that foods containing food additives and imported foods were unsuitable for children. Participants noted that strong social capital, especially social support from their mothers or mothers-in-law, as well as social networks for obtaining fresh local foods, contributed to healthy child feeding practices. Cultural capital (including the preservation of traditional Japanese dietary habits, eating rules and inter-generational commensality), was also identified as being key to healthy feeding practices.


CONCLUSIONS
Identifying and promoting the social and cultural capital that positively support healthy child feeding practices may be an important component of nutrition education programs.
1.California State University-Chico, Chico, CA, USA.
Keiko
K
Goto
Chihiro
C
Ominami
Chunyan
C
Song
Nobuko
N
Murayama
Cindy
C
Wolff
D000328:Adult; D002654:Child Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007564:Japan; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D066270:Social Capital; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
Japan; dietary habits; feeding practices; globalization; health; maternal behavior; nutrition; preschool children; sociocultural factors