Introduction
This study was undertaken to identify needs of training and educational materials on international nutrition by career stage.
Methods
Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and a questionnaire survey were conducted in September and October 2008. In FGD, the participants were divided into three groups; undergraduate students who can potentially be involved in future nutrition activity for international cooperation (“students”), graduate students in international health or young workers involved in international cooperation through researches or programs on nutrition (“young”), and the experts who have worked for international nutrition cooperation (“experienced”). The results of FGD and questionnaire survey were categorized using the modified KJ methods.
Results
The numbers of FGD participants were two for “students”, four for “young” and seven for “experienced”. The questionnaires were completed by 119 undergraduate students. The specific issues they expected to learn in the field of international health and nutrition were the current situation in developing countries for the “students” and the process to identify the specific problems for the “young” and “experienced” The skills they would like to acquire were English proficiency for the “students” and “young” and understanding of the working fields as well as communication skills for the “young” and “experienced”. As for the necessary experience to get a job of international cooperation, working experience as a dietitian in Japan was stated by all groups. Additionally, the “young” mentioned overseas experience and the “experienced” suggested adaptability to different cultures as well as interpersonal skills.
Conclusions
This study identified communication skills as the needs common to all groups, while different needs were also identified by one›s career stage; especially educational needs among the “students” and training needs among the “young” and “experienced”. It is urgently required to develop training and educational materials on international nutrition that would meet the needs of each career stage.

Objectives
  Recently, there has been an increasing focus on nutrition in international health cooperation. However, little attention has been paid on global nutrition issues and their methodologies in Japan. One of the possible reasons is that the whole picture cannot be clearly grasped, because nutrition issues and actions have been considered separately at international organizations such as WHO, FAO, and UNICEF. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the trends in food and nutrition policy framework, dietary recommendations and nutritional requirements formulated by international organizations through a review of published nutrition policy guidelines and standards since the 1990s.
Method
  Policy guidelines, technical reports, annual reports, and other relevant materials published between 1990 and 2015, available on the WHO, FAO and UNICEF websites, were reviewed. Then, we extracted the study focused on nutrition problems and their solutions. The purpose and contents of each document and guidelines were identified and categorized in a summary table, so as to investigate their feasures and time trend.
Results
  This study identified 22 statements on food and nutrition policy frameworks, 14 dietary recommendations and nutritional requirements, and 5 information systems. It was revealed that, in the 1990s, the focus was to develop and standardize the methods for nutritional assessment of children. The goal during this period was to achieve food-based security through improvement in energy and nutrient intakes such as proteins and vitamin A, so as to reduce severe child malnutrition and maternal mortality. Later, various recommendations were formulated on double burden of malnutrition, the importance of breastfeeding and the context of the food system and nutrition in the 2000s, and on noncommunicable disease prevention and control policies and practical methodologies to reduce nutrition disparities after 2010. Several information systems were established, which have been utilized as the evidence database to develop policy frameworks.

Objectives  Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and childhood obesity are increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. To prevent childhood obesity in Malawi, it is necessary to understand the factors affecting food choices in the population. We examined the factors influencing food choices that may affect childhood obesity from their mothers’ perspective.Methods  We conducted focus group interviews with mothers with children aged 2-4.9 years in Lilongwe City (as an urban area) and Mzimba District (as a rural area). Data were analyzed thematically using NVivo software.Results  The sample for this analysis included 43 mothers. A wide variety of foods were present in the two regions in the study area. Factors influencing food choices were extracted as; financial limitations; and seasonal effects. Children are fed the same food as their mothers, including carbonated drinks, but they are also given a special diet for children, which consists of porridge with soya flour, milk, and margarine. Eggs and pork were socially and culturally identified as foods not given to mothers during pregnancy, whereas children are given eggs in some cases these days. Mothers identified; hygienic food, clothing and shelter; nutritious meals with good hygiene; and regular sustainable physical activity as essential for good health. Two themes were then identified as healthy diet; eating foods from a diverse range of food groups; energizing the body, preventing disease and promoting health. Mothers give carbonated drinks and juices to their children despite understanding that they are not good for them, while economic circumstances make it difficult for them to access foods from the six food groups that they know they should give to their children.Conclusion  It was suggested that “financial reasons” and “no enough intervention to reflect knowledge into practice” may have affected food choices and led to childhood obesity. Therefore, this study recommends that nutrition education for individuals and caregivers and health promotion initiatives based on a public health vision through price adequacy and access to healthy, nutritious, safe, affordable and easy-to-prepare foods should be encouraged as a preventive measure for childhood obesity.

Background: To obtain suggestions regarding the methods of cooperative learning in basic nursing education, the nursing students' perceptions of cooperative learning and the relationship between such perceptions and their influencing factors were elucidated.Methods: Anonymous, self-administered questionnaires were conducted among 131 nursing students at University A in the Chubu region of Japan.Results: Binomial logistic regression confirmed that cooperative learning experiences in high school, learning satisfaction at University A, social support, styles of handling interpersonal conflicts, and undervaluing others in regard to assumed competence were significant influencing factors on the cooperative work recognition scale.Discussion: Factors, including professional identity, communication ability and students' past negative experiences, may have an effect on the recognition of cooperative work. This suggests the need for the continued investigation of the aspects of cooperative learning that take these factors into account.