000577 - Survey of food allergy management in elementary school cooking classes

In Japan, cooking classes start in the fifth grade of elementary school. An estimated 270,000 elementary school children (6.1%) have food allergies (FA). However, few reports exist on the management of children with FA in these classes. This study investigates the status of provisions for FA management in elementary school cooking classes.

We conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey of 132 teachers responsible for elementary school cooking classes between December 2023 and August 2024. The analysis included 89 teachers who provided informed consent.

The most common approach was that all students cooked without using the allergen of the child with FA (n=55, 62%). However, some children with FA did not participate and instead observed the class (n=8, 9%) or watched instructional videos (n=2, 2%). Thirty-three teachers (37%) reported that the content of the home economics textbooks on FA was insufficient. Among teachers who had taught students with FA (n=73), 34 teachers (47%) reported difficulty accommodating FA. Major reasons included menu planning (31%), selecting and purchasing ingredients (28%), and communicating with parents before the cooking class (24%). Thirty-two teachers (44%) reported having a manual for managing FA during cooking classes. No statistically significant association was found between the presence of manuals and perceived difficulty in accommodating FA (p = 0.145). However, a significant relationship was observed between the availability of manuals and teachers’ confidence in ensuring that children with FA could receive learning opportunities comparable to those of other children (p = 0.024). Requested support included case studies for FA support in cooking class (64%), additional support staff during cooking classes (54%), available FA-friendly foods (44%), and collaboration with nutrition teachers (34%).

Teachers responsible for cooking classes in elementary schools face challenges in dealing with FA, and some children with FA are unable to fully participate. Therefore, a better support system should be implemented for teachers and children with FA for management and mitigation in cooking classes.