Abstract
The relationship between dietary behavior, food preferences and school lunches was studied among 175 second graders and 190 sixth graders of an elementary school.
The results were as follows:
1) Subjects showed higher preferences for cereals, meats, eggs and milk, but not for fishes and vegetables.
2) Preference level for foods among second graders was higher than the sixth graders, and higher among boys than girls.
3) Average food preference depended largely on the materials used in preparing the dishes.
4) Dishes which children did not finish included those prepared from fishes, legumes and vegetables, and those which tasted sour.
5) While the sixth graders showed lower average in the preference test than the second graders, there were more of the former group who could finish the dishes. It was shown that school lunches are effective in training children to accept all kinds of foods and dishes.
