Survey Regarding Sweet Taste Preference and Dietary Life of Male and Female Students

Abstract

In order to investigate how the sweetness preference affects the situation and consciousness of dietary life among the younger generation, we surveyed male and female students (300 males, 298 females) using a questionaire. The results were as follows.1) As for the sweetness preference, “the intake frequency of sweet confectionery” was strongly correlated with each of the intake frequencies for six kinds of confectioneries. Also, the “favorite concentration of sweet drink” was strongly correlated with each preference degree for two kinds of sweet drinks.2) The at-home group showed a rather higher intake frequency for sweet confectionery, compared with the group living out of the house for both the male and female students. The sport activity group had a higher intake frequency for sweet drinks than the other groups, especially for the males.3) The “intake frequency of breakfast” was the lowest of the three meals. Especially, 41.3 % of the male students always skipped breakfast. Also for the males, the group that skipped breakfast had a lower intake frequency for sweet confectioneries and sweet drinks in addition to the meal than the group taking it every day.4) For the famales, it was significantly noted that the groups doing biased dieting had a lower intake frequency for sweet drinks and also that the groups thinking of a nutritional balance liked the thinner taste for sweet drinks.5) Based on an analysis using Hayashi's Quantification Method 1, the degree which the sweetness preference concerns the “degree of satisfaction of dietary life” wasn't as strong as much the “intake frequency of breakfast” and “nutritional balance” . The groups with a higher intake frequency for sweet confectionery had, if anything a lower degree for satisfaction for dietary life. Also, for the males, groups liking a thicker taste for sweet drinks and for the female, groups liking a rather thinner taste for sweet drinks had a higher degree for satisfaction for dietary life.