Children's food preferences: a longitudinal analysis
- PMID: 12449287
- DOI: 10.1016/s0002-8223(02)90349-4
Children's food preferences: a longitudinal analysis
Abstract
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 (T1), 4 years (T2), and 8 years (T3) and for themselves at T1 and T3. Both groups completed a Food Neophobia Scale at T3.
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 (R2=0.74) were the number liked at 4 years (P<.0001) and the food neophobia score (P=.0003). Newly tasted foods were more likely to be accepted between T1 and T2 than T2 and T3. Mothers' and children's food preferences were significantly but moderately related. Foods disliked by mothers tended not to be offered to children.
Applications/conclusions: The important role of children's early food preferences is confirmed by this study. Mothers influence children via their own preferences, which may limit foods offered to children.
Similar articles
-
Stability of food neophobia from infancy through early childhood.Appetite. 2016 Feb 1;97:72-8. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2015.11.016. Epub 2015 Dec 2. Appetite. 2016. PMID: 26612089 Free PMC article.
-
Intrinsic and extrinsic influences on children's acceptance of new foods.Physiol Behav. 2013 Sep 10;121:89-95. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.02.013. Epub 2013 Feb 28. Physiol Behav. 2013. PMID: 23458629 Review.
-
Cross-sectional exploration of maternal reports of food neophobia and pickiness in preschooler-mother dyads.J Am Coll Nutr. 2012 Jun;31(3):152-9. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2012.10720022. J Am Coll Nutr. 2012. PMID: 23204151
-
Genetic and environmental determinants of children's food preferences.Br J Nutr. 2008 Feb;99 Suppl 1:S15-21. doi: 10.1017/S000711450889246X. Br J Nutr. 2008. PMID: 18257946 Review.
-
Temperament and food neophobia in children and their mothers.Appetite. 1997 Jun;28(3):239-54. doi: 10.1006/appe.1996.0078. Appetite. 1997. PMID: 9218097
Cited by
-
The Impact of Caregiver Pressure to Eat on Food Neophobia in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study.Children (Basel). 2024 Apr 28;11(5):528. doi: 10.3390/children11050528. Children (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38790525 Free PMC article.
-
Neophobia, sensory experience and child's schemata contribute to food choices.Eat Weight Disord. 2024 Apr 8;29(1):25. doi: 10.1007/s40519-024-01657-5. Eat Weight Disord. 2024. PMID: 38587606 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Maternal and household factors affecting the dietary diversity of preschool children in eastern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.BMJ Open. 2024 Mar 21;14(3):e080616. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-080616. BMJ Open. 2024. PMID: 38514138 Free PMC article.
-
Western, Healthful, and Low-Preparation Diet Patterns in Preschoolers of the STRONG Kids2 Program.J Nutr Educ Behav. 2024 Apr;56(4):219-229. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2023.12.012. Epub 2024 Feb 23. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2024. PMID: 38402478
-
Is Parental Rating of Child's Oral Health Associated with Caries Experience in Children? A Cross-Sectional Study.J Int Soc Prev Community Dent. 2023 Dec 27;13(6):485-492. doi: 10.4103/jispcd.JISPCD_110_23. eCollection 2023 Nov-Dec. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent. 2023. PMID: 38304534 Free PMC article.
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical