Flutterby™! : Gender and food preferences

Study finds potential gender stereotypes in kids’ food choice

Some boys think so, according to a new study of kids age 8-10 by researchers in the University of Oregon College of Education. The findings were published recently in the international research journal Appetite.

The children were offered a large spread for lunch, including sandwich fixings, chicken nuggets, fruits and vegetables, chips, candy, and a variety of drinks.

“Please eat until you are no longer hungry and take as much time as you need,” each child was told before being left to dine privately. Researchers later measured what and how much each child had eaten.

The study found that boys with high “social desirability bias, ” or the tendency to act in ways to seem more socially acceptable to others, ate fewer fruits and vegetables. That same association was not found with girls.

Via