Study of the Impact of Mastication Behavior During Early Childhood on the Development of Food Preferences

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K00906
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Akita University
• Principal Investigator: Senoo Tomoko 秋田大学, 教育文化学部, 准教授 (00726309)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 長沼 誠子 秋田大学, 名誉教授, 名誉教授 (30006598) ; 佐々木 信子 秋田大学, 教育文化学部, 教授 (50711529) ; 望月 一枝 日本女子大学, 家政学部, 研究員 (60431615)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: テクスチャー嗜好 / 幼児期 / 養育者 / 咀嚼 / 嗜好性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to elucidate correlations between mastication behavior during early childhood and food preferences. First, a series of selection task experiments were conducted to investigate food texture preferences during early childhood. Results indicated that texture preferences during early childhood showed no significant difference according to the children's age difference. Second, the correlation between children's food texture preferences and their eating experiences at home was investigated. Results showed a correlation between mastication behavior/ability and food preferences of parents and their children. However, no correlation between children's food texture preferences and mastication behavior at home/parents' food preferences was shown in the results. Last, study results suggested that children's mastication behavior at home does not correlate with the development of their food texture preferences.

Free Research Field

幼児教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究ではこれまで明らかにされてこなかった，子どもの咀嚼経験と歯ざわり，食感といったテクスチャー嗜好の関連について調査した。幼児期のテクスチャー嗜好は年齢差がないこと，幼児の家庭での咀嚼力に関する食経験がテクスチャー嗜好に影響を与えていないことが示唆された。したがって，咀嚼機能の向上を図る食教育を行う際には，子どものテクスチャーといった嗜好性の個人差を考慮して行うことが有効である。食嗜好の形成期である幼児期の食教育を行う上であらたな視点を提供したといえる。