Graduate Program

Family and Consumer Studies

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2009

Thesis Director

Richard Wilkinson

Thesis Committee Member

Lisa Taylor

Thesis Committee Member

Lisa Brooks

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate food choices made by children of varying ages when a wide assortment of both healthy and unhealthy food items were available. The results were used to assess the importance of caregiver influence with regard to children's dietary intakes and to determine significant relationships between age. food preference. and relevant behavioral patterns.

Fifty children between the ages of 3 and 15 were observed in buffet-style restaurants with their caregivers. A food and beverage selection checklist was used to determine children's food selections when each food group was present and available to them, A behavioral checklist consisting of 19 key points was used to identify specific child behaviors that are congruent with Albert Bandura's social learning theory. Data were analyzed with MANOV A and t-tests.

Six hypotheses regarding children's age, adult accompaniment. and food selection were presented in this study. Results indicate that age plays a significant role in the food choices made by children. This study found that there is a relationship between children's age and the number of categories children select food from and the food items chosen. The results dismiss the idea that adult gender and accompaniment are significantly related to the number of categories and food items selected.

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