Study on meal preferences of school aged children based on discrete choice experiment
10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025020
- VernacularTitle:基于离散选择试验的学龄儿童正餐偏好研究
- Author:
ZHOU Weiwei, WU Xiaoyu, LIU Aidong, HUANG Feifei, GUAN Fangxu, ZHANG Jiguo, WANG Huijun, ZHONG Xuefeng, LIU Shuang, DU Wenwen
1
Author Information
1. National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing (100050) , China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Food habits;
Food preferences;
Regression analysis;
Child
- From:
Chinese Journal of School Health
2025;46(1):45-49
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the relative importance of different food attributes and levels in food decision making of school aged children, and to understand their meal preferences, so as to provide the evidence for formulating precise intervention strategies for dietary behaviours of school aged children.
Methods:From May to June 2024, a total of 854 children aged 11 to 15 years old were selected from 2 middle schools (each school in urban and rural areas) in both Hubei Province and Anhui Province by stratified cluster random sampling method to conduct a D-optimal discrete choice experiment. The mixed Logit model was used to analyze children s preference for meal attributes and different levels, and to calculate the relative importance (RI) of attributes and willingness to pay (WTP) in meal choices.
Results:The included five food attributes had statistical significance on meal choice of school aged children ( P <0.05). The relative importance of food attributes affecting the meal choices of school aged children in descending order were dining mode ( RI =31.26%), food varieties ( RI =30.56%), cooking method( RI =23.84%), taste( RI =8.06%) and price ( RI =6.27%). Among them, school aged children preferred home cooked meals ( β =0.74) (WTP=86.3 yuan),varied foods(grain/tubers+vegetables+fish, meat, eggs and beans) ( β =0.61) (WTP=71.9 yuan), fried/roasted cooking ( β =0.51) and spicy taste ( β =0.33).Price was negatively correlated with meal choices( β =-0.01) ( P <0.05). Based on residential area and body mass index (BMI), the stratified analysis showed that dining mode was highest in the relative importance for rural children with overweight and obese children ( RI =31.28%,34.17%), both of whom preferred home cooked meals ( β =0.76, 0.91), and meals containing fish, meat, eggs and beans with grain/tubers or grain/tubers and vegetables in terms of food choice (area: β =0.53, 0.53 ; BMI: β =0.55, 0.56) ( P <0.05).
Conclusions:School aged children have different preferences for different attributes of meals. The quality of school meals should be improved,the cost of buying healthy meals should be reduced,targeted family health education should be carried out,and healthy cooking methods should be advocated.
