Food choice behavior of adolescents in residential child care facilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze food choice behavior of adolescents in residential child care facilities as compared to the independent variables of nutrition knowledge, age, gender, ethnicity, and number of grades failed. Results from this research led to the development of a model to assist residential child care food service managers plan menus which are acceptable to the clients and which meet the nutrient requirements of this particular population. One hundred and fifty-four subjects participated on a nonrandom basis. These subjects were 12.5 to 19 year-old volunteers who reside in residential child care facilities. Nutrition knowledge and food choice behavior were measured by questionnaires. The independent variables were obtained from the client data base. Gender was the only independent variable which presented significant results. Females scored significantly lower than males on food choice behavior. The specific objective of the decision-making model was “Implementation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans into the Menu.” Constraints identified with implementation were: (1) budgetary concerns; (2) type of food service system; (3) client acceptance; (4) children with therapeutic or mechanical diet restrictions; (5) regulatory issues; and (6) client treatment plan. The findings of this research support the need for residential child care food service managers to implement the Dietary Guidelines for Americans into menus and provide a model to assist with the decision-making process.