The Development of Eating Habits

& Taste Preference

Rosa Romero FamR 491July 5, 2011 Lynn Yamashita

State of Children’s Health in U.S.

1in 3 children are obese or overweight by their 5th Birthday (CDC, 2011)

Children do not meet minimum suggestions of daily fruit and vegetables Excess of fat, sugar and salt in diet (WHO, 2004)

To healthify the American diet crucial to first understand how food habits and taste preferences are formed

Obesity = Malnutrition

Effects of poor diets in early childhood

Short term-Tooth decay, lack of energy, overweight, mood swings

Long term possible developmental delays and cognitive deficits, specifically executive function (Smith et al, 2011)

Diet related conditions in adolescence and adulthood

Hypertension: Infants with high salt diets had

high blood pressure at age 15 (Geleijne et al, 1997)

Diabetes: Sugary drinks primary cause for diabetes in

children (Piernas, Popkin, 2011)

Guiding Questions

Are preferences innate or learned?What tastes are developed first?What role does food neophobia play?What factors shapes taste preferences?By what age are most taste preferences formed?What role do parents and caregivers have?

Nature or Nurture?

Physiological developmentGenetic predisposition

ExposurePeer & adult modelingCultureMarketingEnvironment

Taste Development in Infancy

Infants have an innate preference for sweet (Rosenstein & Oster 1988, Scwatz et al, 2009)

Infants are neutral in response to salt, however some preference is shown by 4 months. (Harris, Thomas & booth, 1990)

Children show preference to sugar and salty food they are exposed to over time (Sullican & Birch, 1990)

Mothers diet

The Carrot Study (Mennella, Jagnow&Beauchamp, 2001)

Infant exposure to carrots in amniotic fluid or breast milk enjoyed carrot flavor more than infants not exposed to it.

Conclusion: prenatal and early post natal exposure enhanced the infants’ enjoyment of that flavor during weaning

Early flavor experiences may explain cultural and ethnic differences in cuisine

Food Neophobia

Natural reluctance in humans to consume new or unusual foods (Stallberg, White & Pliner, 1999)

First 2 years, relatively weak food neophobia (Birch, Marlin, 1982)

Toddlers discovery of their power could led them to be “picky eaters”, picking eating toddlers become picky eating adults (Carruth & Skinner, 2000)

Children's food neophobias resembles their parents (Logue, Uzzo, McCaty & Smith, 1998)

Food Preferences….Are learned through

ExposureExposure frequencyExperience with food

By age 3, most children can rank order their preferences (Birch & fisher, 1996)

New foods more easily accepted before 4 years old

Strongest predictor of what foods liked at age 8 are what foods are liked by age 4 (Skinner et al, 2002)

Food preferences become food habits

Modeling

Parent role is central, children model their eatingFood intake patterns of parents and their children are similar (Fisher, et al, 2002)

Children tend to sample “unfamiliar” foods when they see an adult eating it than when merely offered (Harper & Sauders, 1975)

Childcare becoming primary learning environment for developing food habits (Briley & McAllaster, 2011)

With age, adult modeling becomes overshadowed by peer modeling (Birch 1999)

Mixed messages about food

“Foods as rewards”Increases binge eating as adults (Pahl, 2003)

“Finish your veggies”Creates a negative association carried out through adulthood (Fisher & Birch, 1990)

Eat this, while eat I thisMost children start on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables but decreases with age (Carruth & Skinner, 2000)

Trix are for kids!!!80% of commercials during cartoons are for fast foods and sweetsIncreased TV viewing equates with an increase intake of salty and sugar snacks (NAIH, 2005)

What you can do to help children develop healthy habits?

Be a role model and eat more fruits and vegetables and less sugared drinks

Increase early exposure to a variety of fruits and vegetables

Garden, cook & eat together

Look for non food rewards such as choosing the family movie or allowing a sleep over

Create family and school traditions that don’t revolve around unhealthy food

Teach which foods are “sometimes” foods

Cute food art ;)