SEARCHCOHORTpediatrics, public health

cohort·pediatrics, public health, nutrition, food science, family medicine·PMC10057112

11- to 13-Year-Old Children’s Rejection and Acceptance of Unfamiliar Food: The Role of Food Play and Animalness

Nutrients · 2 authors, 1 centre

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TL;DR

A qualitative school-based study of 129 children found that a tactile food play exercise prior to cooking shifted rejection behavior from disgust to inappropriateness, and that both animal and non-animal origin foods could ultimately be accepted based on taste and familiarity.

Full summary

691 CHARS

Classes were divided into groups experiencing a tactile 'food print' exercise or not, and by food origin (animal vs. non-animal). Thematic analysis showed that children in the no-food-print group displayed disgust-related rejection during cooking, while the food-play group showed inappropriateness-related rejection and more playful behavior. Rejection in the animal group was driven by inappropriateness and animalness, while the non-animal group's rejection was driven by slimy texture and not perceiving it as food. Implications suggest incorporating tactile exercises in food education and not limiting children to only 'safe' foods, as acceptance is possible despite initial rejection.

STUDY TYPE

cohort

SPECIALTY

pediatrics

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AI pipeline

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100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10057112

11- to 13-Year-Old Children’s Rejection and Acceptance of Unfamiliar Food: The Role of Food Play and Animalness

Nutrients

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ABSTRACT

Promoting children’s healthy food behavior is important in reducing the risk of developing obesity; it is therefore relevant to investigate methods to promote healthy food choices. This study’s aim was to investigate differences in rejection–acceptance mechanisms related to unfamiliar foods depending on the inclusion of tactile exercises prior to cooking and food origin. Participant observation was applied in a school setting. Eight fifth and sixth grade classes were recruited from four Danish schools ( n = 129). The classes were divided into two groups: animal (AG; quail) and nonanimal (NAG; bladderwrack). AG and NAG were subdivided into two groups: food print (FP) and no food print (NFP). Applied thematic analysis was applied. During preparation/cooking, NFP displayed disgust-related rejection, whereas FP displayed inappropriateness-related rejection. FP exhibited more playful behavior. Inappropriateness and animalness drove AG rejection. NAG rejection was driven by the slimy texture of the food and the perception of it ‘not being food’. Acceptance was driven by taste and familiarity. In conclusion, the inclusion of tactile exercises could increase children’s exploratory food behavior, and the promotion of children’s healthy food behavior should not solely focus on choosing foods deemed safe and familiar, since, despite rejection during cooking, acceptance is ultimately possible.

CITATION EXPORT

Rikke Højer, Margit Dall Aaslyng. 11- to 13-Year-Old Children’s Rejection and Acceptance of Unfamiliar Food: The Role of Food Play and Animalness. Nutrients. (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061326

AUTHORS

2 · 1 CENTRES

Rikke Højer, Margit Dall Aaslyng

Nutrition and Health, Campus Slagelse, University College Absalon, Sdr. Stationsvej 30, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark

EDITOR / REVIEWER

Mike Reid