Sweet preferences and sugar consumption of 4- and 5-year-old children: role of parents

Author: Liem, D.G.; Mars, M.; De Graaf, C.

Description: We investigated the relationships in children between rules that restrict consumption of mono- and disaccharides (MDS), consumption of MDS and preferences for sucrose-containing orangeade. The background ideas of restriction rules we also investigated. To this end, 44 children (5.1+/-0.5 years) performed a rank-order and paired-comparison test of preference for five orangeades, which differed in sucrose concentration (0.14, 0.20, 0.29, 0.42, 0.61 M sucrose). Parents filled out a questionnaire concerning restriction rules and their children’s consumption of MDS-containing foods. Stronger restriction rules were related to a lower consumption of beverages that contained MDS and to a lower consumption of MDS-containing foods during breakfast and lunch. The most freedom to choose foods that contain MDS was given during the afternoon. Fifty-five percent of the children who were highly restricted showed a preference for the highest concentration of sucrose in orangeade. None of these children preferred the orangeade with the lowest concentration of sucrose. While 19% of the children who were little restricted preferred the beverage with the lowest concentration of sucrose, 33% preferred the beverage with the highest concentration. These parents generally believed that sugar has a bad effect on health and had similar background ideas concerning restriction rules.

Subject headings: Adult; Child, Preschool; Diet Surveys; Dietary Sucrose/administration & dosage; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Feeding Behavior/physiology/psychology; Female; Food Preferences/physiology/psychology; Humans; Male; Parents/psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Taste/physiology

Publication year: 2004

Journal or book title: Appetite

Volume: 43

Issue: 3

Pages: 235-245

Find the full text : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666304000753

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Type: Journal Article

Serial number: 1942