Scientific journal

54 2015

Journal of Food and Nutrition Research
Summary No. 3 / 2015

Fiala, J. – Bienertová-Vašků, J. – Derflerová Brazdová, Z. – Švancara, J. – Kukla, L.
Gender differences in the projection of food preferences into food consumption in Czech adolescents
Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 54, 2015, No. 3, s. 195-204

Jindřich Fiala, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Tel.: +420 721707599, e-mail: jfiala@med.muni.cz

Received 13 May 2014; 1st revised 7 October 2014; 2nd revised 16 January 2015; accepted 5 February 2015; published online 23 April 2015.

Summary: Food preferences are considered an important factor contributing to “risky” dietary behaviour. The amount of data on the nutritional behaviour of the adolescent population is scarce. The aim of this study was to analyse food preferences and their projection into food consumption in a cohort of adolescents of Central-European origin. The sample included 1615 15-year-olds who were asked to indicate their like or dislike of 59 food and drink items, evaluating them on a scale of 1 = “I dislike” to 10 = “I love”. Food consumption was studied using a frequency questionnaire, which included the same items and a 5-grade frequency scale. Compliance with nutritional recommendations was assessed, as were gender differences, and the relationship between preferences and consumption was subsequently analysed. Preferences were found to differ significantly between the genders, with results indicating less healthy choices in the case of boys. However, the established preferences were not completely projected into actual consumption, which in fact appeared to be healthier than the preferences implied. Study results thus indicate that food preferences are not necessarily being projected into the actual consumption of the Central-European adolescent population.

Keywords: nutrition; food preferences; consumption; adolescents, gender differences

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