Children's Food Preferences: A Longitudinal Analysis

Objective To compare children's food preferences longitudinally and identify factors related to food preferences. Design Mothers completed the Food Preference Questionnaire for children at 2 to 3 years of age (T 1), 4 years (T 2), and 8 years (T 3) and for themselves at T 1 and T 3 Both groups...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2002-11, Vol.102 (11), p.1638-1647
Main Authors: Skinner, Jean D., Carruth, Betty Ruth, Bounds, Wendy, Ziegler, Paula J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging - psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child Behavior
Child, Preschool
Children
Children & youth
Diet
Food
Food and nutrition
food choices
Food habits
Food Preferences - psychology
foods
Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology
Humans
Linear Models
Longitudinal Studies
Medical sciences
Mother-Child Relations
mothers
Nutritional survey. Food supply and nutritional requirement
Phobic Disorders - psychology
questionnaires
Social aspects
statistical analysis
Statistics
Surveys and Questionnaires
Temperament
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Summary:Objective To compare children's food preferences longitudinally and identify factors related to food preferences. Design Mothers completed the Food Preference Questionnaire for children at 2 to 3 years of age (T 1), 4 years (T 2), and 8 years (T 3) and for themselves at T 1 and T 3 Both groups completed a Food Neophobia Scale at T 3. Subjects 70 child/mother pairs who had participated continuously in the longitudinal study. Statistical analyses performed Changes in food preferences over time were tested with paired t tests and correlations. Consistency percentages were calculated by summing the consistent matches (like/like) for each food between two time periods. Similarly, concordance percentages were calculated for child/mother pairs by summing the concordant matches for each food. General linear models were developed to identify influences on children's food preferences. Results Although children liked most foods, the number of liked foods did not change significantly during the 5 to 5.7 years of the study. The strongest predictors of the number of foods liked at age 8 years (R 2=0.74) were the number liked at 4 years ( P
ISSN:0002-8223
2212-2672
1878-3570
2212-2680
DOI:10.1016/S0002-8223(02)90349-4