Study of Eating Behavior and Food Preference in Young Children: Differences by Age and Gender

영.유아의 연령과 성별에 따른 식행동과 식품 기호도에 관한 연구

  • Seo, So-Jung (Child Family Major, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Min, In-Ja (Graduate School of Education, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Shin, Han-Seung (Dept. of Food Science and Technology and Institute of Lotus Functional Food Ingredient, Dongguk University)
  • 서소정 (경희대학교 아동가족) ;
  • 민인자 (경희대학교 교육대학원) ;
  • 신한승 (동국대학교 식품공학과 및 Lotus기능성식품소재연구소)
  • Received : 2009.07.30
  • Accepted : 2009.09.04
  • Published : 2009.10.31

Abstract

The primary object of this study was to examine both preferences in a variety of foods and snacks and the eating habits among young children (aged 13 months through 50 months old). In addition, this study examined whether there would be significant differences in the preferences and eating habits by of young children of different ages and gender of young children. This study included 193 infants (85 boys, 108 girls) of aged 13 through 50 months of old who were enrolled in early childhood education and care settings in Seoul and Gyunggi Province. The information regarding food and snack preferences among young children were gathered through surveys filled out by their mothers and the children's overall eating habits were assessed by their teachers. The main results of this study were as follows. Overall, there were some patterns in eating bere asss and food preferences in foods and snacks among young children. There were no significant differences in both eating bere asss and food preferences by gender of young children. But, however, there were significant differences in food (p<0.001) and snack preferences (p<0.001) by of children of different ages of young children.

Keywords

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