[CURRENT STATUS OF SCHOOL LUNCHES RELATED TO FOOD ALLERGY AND UNMET NEEDS OF TEACHERS IN MIYAGI PREFECTURE]

The number of students with food allergies is on the increase, while the problems and burdens of school teachers and staff are not yet clear. Our study was designed to identify the unmet needs of school teachers and staff dealing with food allergy in school lunches.

A written questionnaire was sent by mail to 600 elementary and junior high schools in Miyagi Prefecture.

Responses were received from 169 schools. The prevalence of food allergy was 5.6% and the EpiPen possession rate was 0.36%. The most common problems perceived by teachers and staff were the "increase in the number of students with food allergies" and the "diversification of causative foods". Other problems included "uncertainty of foods to be removed" and "insufficient collaboration among teachers, guardians, and doctors," which could be improved by the medical providers. In the free descriptions, many respondents complained of an excessive workload and the mental burden of never making a mistake or missing anything.

Our survey revealed that while there is a public demand for safe school lunches, the teachers and staff dealing with this demand are under considerable strain. It is necessary to consider reducing the burden, and a sustainable system needs to be established.