Eating History Affects Food Palatability in Young Japanese Females

The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the transition from eating history to food palatability associated with diet selection in adults. Questionnaires were used to identify dominant and favorite recipes, flavorings, and breakfasts for 174 female university students. The participants’ recollections for answering the questionnaire covered a six-stage time period: kindergarten, early elementary school years, late elementary school years, junior high school, high school, and the university years. The development of taste and diet choices at the university stage appeared to be influenced by the childhood diet during the kindergarten stage. Controlling food palatability in adults would change diet selection by promoting healthier eating habits, which may decrease the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases.