![]() ![]() Numerous studies indicate that repeated exposure increases liking of disliked foods (see IOM, 2006), and information that a new food tastes good increased willingness to try the food ( Pelchat & Pliner, 1995). Taste preferences for fruits and vegetables, together with their availability in the home, were the strongest predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption among adolescents ( Neumark-Sztainer, Wall, Perry & Story, 2003). Adults cited taste as the foremost reason that they chose to eat most foods ( Glanz, Basil, Maibach, Goldberg & Snyder, 1998). Research points to perceived taste as the most important determinant of healthy and unhealthy food preferences, and evaluations of food taste can also be acquired through learning processes ( IOM, 2006). Children learn about foods they like or dislike by being exposed to a variety of foods and observing and experiencing the consequences and rewards of consuming those foods. Humans possess an innate preference for sweet, high-fat and salty foods, and a reluctance to try unfamiliar foods, however, early experiences are critical in shaping individual food preferences. Food preferences develop primarily through learning processes ( Birch, 1999). Individuals' food preferences (i.e., their disposition to select one food over another) play a major role in actual diet, whether healthy or unhealthy ( IOM, 2006). In the present research, we begin to disentangle this complex relationship, and provide information to assist in the development of solutions to this critical health issue. To our knowledge, no research has measured television viewing, parental influence and diet variables together to empirically assess the relative influence and interaction between these factors. Health advocates focus on the vast amount of advertising promoting unhealthy food to children, whereas the food industry points to parents who refuse to set limits for their children (on television viewing and unhealthy eating) or who simply do not understand enough about health to teach their children the importance of healthy eating and an active lifestyle. The public discussion about possible solutions to the obesity crisis among children, however, can digress into an argument over who is most to blame for overweight children: the food industry or parents ( Schor, 2004). Reduced physical activity and increased consumption of low-nutrient calorie-dense foods are both major contributors, and health authorities believe that the prevalence of advertising for unhealthy food on children's television is a leading cause of children's increasingly unhealthy diet ( Brownell & Horgen, 2004 Institute of Medicine (IOM), 2006). In 2004, over one-third of children and adolescents were overweight or at risk of becoming overweight: more than triple the percentage in 1971. The trend is especially disturbing among children. has risen dramatically over the past 30 years ( Ogden, et al., 2006). These findings provide insights into the potential effectiveness of alternative media interventions to counteract the unhealthy influence of television on diet, including nutrition education, parental communication and media literacy education to teach children to defend against unwanted influence, and reduced exposure to unhealthy messages. ![]() In addition, both television experience and parenting factors independently influenced preferences and diet. In line with previous studies with children, prior television experience continued to predict unhealthy food preferences and diet in early adulthood, and perceived taste had the most direct relationship to both healthy and unhealthy diets. We examined food preferences and eating behaviors among college students, and assessed the relative influence of two potential contributors: parental communication and television experience. Research demonstrates that children's food preferences are acquired through learning processes, and that these preferences have long-lasting effects on diet. The concern over increasing rates of obesity and associated health issues have led to calls for solutions to the potentially unhealthy influence of television and food advertising on children's diets. ![]()
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