Abstract
In order to study the behavioral pattern controlled by preferences for foods, we conducted a survey using questionnaire sheets on 3, 016 school children concerning their intake of egg dishes. We analyzed the result statistically.
The results are as follows.
1) Those with strong desire for eating egg dishes were mostly those who liked egg dishes, but the frequency thereof was not necessarily high.
Those with less desire for eating egg dishes were mostly those who did not like egg dishes, and the frequency thereof was low.
2) There were more boys than girls who wanted to eat egg dishes, and the frequency thereof was high.
There were more infants than school children with strong desire for eating raw eggs, and the frequency thereof was high.
There were more of those who were healthy and robust, who had good appetite, who were obese, who were highly active, and who were independent among those with intense desire for eating and liking egg dishes.
3) There was no correlation whatsoever between the intensity of desire for eating egg dishes and the community the respondents lived in, their family structure, their position as regards to siblings in the family and whether their mothers held a job or not.
4) Infants relied on the sensation and school children on consciousness for liking or disliking the egg dishes. The reasons given for “liking the egg dishes” mainly concerned with the utility value of the dishes, while the reasons given for “disliking the egg dishes” were mostly emotional.
Their habitual intake of egg dishes depended on whether or not their family prepared the dishes.
The intensity of desire for eating the egg dishes was correlated with their behaviors like their having good appetite, readiness to come to the table at meal times, and even eating foods which they didn't like, and with their strong will of doing what they wanted to do.
