Motivational determinants of food preferences in adolescents and pre-adolescents

This study explored the relationship between food preference and each of se ven motivational factors-healthfulness, parents serve it, peers eat it, pri ce, readily accessible, taste and television advertising-in white, middle-c lass subjects aged 9 to 18 years. Subjects tasted and provided preference r atings for 17 foods, and rated the importance of each motivational factor o n their preference for these foods. Test foods were representative of foods frequently consumed in this age group, and foods promoted by nutrition edu cators but infrequently consumed. Pearson correlation coefficients were com puted for food preference and motivational factor scores. Multiple regressi on analysis was performed on scores assigned to motivational factors. Taste emerged as the motivational factor with the greatest influence on food pre ference. If dietary recommendations are to be adopted by this age group, nu trition educators must focus on strategies for enhancing the taste of foods that are promoted for health.