Otsuka Pharmaceutical Launches "Teaching Materials and Resources Collection" to Support Health Education in Schools, Offering Free Electronic Health Materials for Heatstroke Prevention and Food Education to Teachers and Staff

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Makoto Inoue; hereinafter "Otsuka Pharmaceutical") has newly launched "Otsuka Pharmaceutical Teaching Materials and Resources Collection," which provides free electronic health education materials for elementary, junior high, and high schools, with the aim of supporting health education in educational institutions. On this site, we systematically introduce teaching materials that can be utilized in school classes, etc., such as heatstroke prevention and food education, leveraging the health knowledge we have cultivated to date. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Teaching Materials and Resources Collection: https://www.otsuka.co.jp/education/ In recent years, as society diversifies, the importance of health promotion¹ tailored to each life stage has been pointed out as a health issue surrounding children. Furthermore, in schools, there is a demand² to effectively utilize appropriate supplementary teaching materials within limited time and personnel. Under its corporate philosophy, Otsuka Pharmaceutical has been committed to contributing to the health of people worldwide through scientifically-based product development, as well as disseminating and promoting health information utilizing knowledge gained from research and development. Particularly in heatstroke prevention, for over 30 years, we have continuously engaged in awareness activities to convey the importance of hydration and electrolyte replenishment, targeting a wide range of generations and settings, including sports, schools, and workplaces in hot environments. This site provides electronic teaching materials for health education tailored to each age group of elementary, junior high, and high school students, targeting teachers and staff. It is intended for use in various health education activities conducted by educational institutions, such as classes, homeroom periods, club activities guidance, and health newsletters. All teaching materials are free and can be viewed and downloaded from the web. We have also prepared teaching materials based on the national curriculum guidelines, creating an environment that is easy for schools and educational professionals nationwide to use. Through the teaching materials provided on this site, we aim to contribute to health education that fosters children's ability to think proactively about their own health and take action. ¹ Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Health Japan 21 (Third Edition) Basic Policy for Comprehensive Promotion of National Health ² Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Notification on the Appropriate Handling of Supplementary Teaching Materials in Schools ■ Elementary School Teaching Materials/Resources (Examples) - Teaching material set for food education classes This teaching material set encourages the practice of a well-balanced diet by helping children understand the types and functions of the five major nutrients, using school lunches, which are familiar to them, as a theme. It is possible to design lessons tailored to children's interests and progress through lecture slides, worksheets, videos, and digital teaching materials. ・ Slides on heatstroke ・ Health newsletter (heatstroke/heat acclimatization/dryness prevention) ・ Food education workshop program "Learn in Mogumogu Town! Aim to be a Food Master!" ■ Junior High School Teaching Materials/Resources (Examples) - Teaching material set for heatstroke and hydration classes Through familiar quizzes, students learn about the role of water and how the body loses water, understanding the relationship between the body and water. It comes with videos and lesson plans and can be used in health and physical education classes. (Supervised by: Dr. Yuri Hosokawa [Associate Professor, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University]) ・ Health newsletter (heatstroke/heat acclimatization) ■ High School Teaching Materials/Resources (Examples) - Slides on heatstroke This explains points to be aware of for the peak summer season, such as the mechanisms of heatstroke and sweating, and methods of hydration, in an easy-to-understand manner. (Supervised by: Japan School Health Association) ・ Slides on conditioning for high school students ・ Slides on conditioning for sports club members ・ Health newsletter (heatstroke/heat acclimatization) ■ How to download teaching materials/resources Teaching materials and resources can be downloaded free of charge by registering as a member on the "Health Information Provision Site." Please select and download the necessary materials for your use. Otsuka Pharmaceutical will continue to contribute to maintaining and improving people's health under its corporate philosophy of Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide. 【Reference】 ■ Otsuka Pharmaceutical's initiatives for heatstroke prevention In the Otsuka Group's 4th Medium-Term Management Plan, "Global Environment" is listed as one of the focus social issues. As scorching hot days and tropical nights increase worldwide due to the effects of climate change, measures against health issues such as physical condition management and heat countermeasures accompanying rising temperatures are becoming even more important. In addition to concluding comprehensive health-related cooperation agreements with over 800 local governments, including all 47 prefectures, we also concluded a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of the Environment, the first of its kind, in 2023, to promote heatstroke prevention. We are collaborating with various stakeholders to provide information on hydration and electrolyte replenishment, pre-cooling, etc., targeting local governments, schools, and companies.