Assessment of preschool children's food preference according to the residing areas

Kwak, T K; Lee, H S; Park, S J; Choi, E H; Hong, W S; Jang, M R

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preference trend of children in the child-care centers in relation to certain environmental factors such as size of the residing town. This evaluation was conducted using questionnaire survey where the mother of each child was required to complete a preference questionnaire including 83 food items. Statistical data analysis was completed using SAS package program. The results of this survey showed the followings : 1. Generally, the preference level of the children living in large cities were higher than of medium cities except in case of vegetables, while the preference level of the children living in large cities weer higher than those of rural area except in case of hard-boiling(jorim) and vegetables. The subjects showed high preferences to bulgogi(4.53), pork-cutlet(4.52), fried chicken(4.51), jajangmyone(4.45), kimgui(4.43), roasted fish(4.31), roasted ham(4.13). 2. There was a tendency that a la carte, bread and noodles received higher preference scores. Items of Korean style soup attained higher preference scores than stew(ggigae). The preference scores of fired, broiled or pan-fried items(jun) were higher than those of other items such as seasoned vegetables(namool). 3. The preference scores of children (routinely or occsionally) skipping breakfast or supper were generally low. There was no significant difference according to the existence of mother's job except in case of steamed or pan-fried items, provided that the preference scores of the size of the monthly income of the household except stew, provide that the preference scores of the children whose household had lower income weer slightly higher in general.