Parent food purchases as a measure of exposure and preschool-aged children's willingness to identify and taste fruit and vegetables

• Published in: Appetite 2008-11, Vol.51 (3), p.468-473
• Main Authors: Busick, Deborah Brzys, Brooks, Judith, Pernecky, Sandra, Dawson, Rebecca, Petzoldt, Joy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; child nutrition; Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena - physiology; Child, Preschool; Children; Eating; eating habits; Exposure; Feeding Behavior; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; food choices; Food preferences; Food Preferences - psychology; Food purchases; food purchasing; Food Supply; Fruit; Fruit and vegetable; fruits (food); Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health Behavior; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Parent-Child Relations; parental role; Parents; Parents - psychology; Phobic Disorders - epidemiology; Phobic Disorders - psychology; preschool children; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Taste - physiology; Vegetables; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; willingness to try
• ISSN: 0195-6663; 1095-8304
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2008.01.013

This study explored whether parents who purchase more fruit/vegetables have preschool-aged children who are able to identify fruit/vegetables and in turn are more likely to consume them. Sixty-two parent–child pairs were recruited during a 4-month period. The data collection included a child interview, a parent/guardian interview, a fruit/vegetable taste test for children, and a month-long food-receipt collection by the parent/guardian. As the percentage of fruit/vegetables purchased by parent increased, the child was more likely to accept all of the fruit/vegetables offered to him/her. A weak correlation was found between the child's ability to name fruit/vegetables and their willingness to try the fruit/vegetables offered. A trend was established between the child's ability to name the 10 fruits/vegetables and parent fruit/vegetable purchases. Parents who purchased the most fruit/vegetables, causing increased exposure, had children who were more willing to taste the fruit/vegetables offered to them.