Factors associated with children's food habits

Abstract

Three hundred seven first through third grade children and their parents were surveyed to determine factors associated with food preferences, dietary complexity, and school lunch participation. Results indicate that these three variables are independent of one another and should not be used interchangeably to represent food habits when evaluating the effectiveness of nutrition education programs for children in the primary grades. Furthermore, each of the three variables is related to different sets of factors from the home, school, and social environments. Parental attitudes and social factors are the most important predictors of children's food preferences and dietary complexity. Employment status of the mother, the child's nutrition knowledge, and perception of a friend's food preferences are related to school lunch participation. Recommendations for nutrition education based on these findings are discussed.