ABSTRACT

Tastes and preferences with regards to food is a constantly developing aspect of human life. Things such as; parental influence and lifestyle changes push individuals into consuming foods they otherwise would have not tried on their own accord. Access and affordability of certain foods also act as an indicator of what one might consume as a regular part of their diet. As humans get older, their taste buds continue to develop and begin accepting new tastes, especially ones that may have otherwise been disliked during childhood. This study sought to find if participants were more likely to adopt healthier food decisions and attitudes as adults compared to their decisions and attitudes as children, as well as, how these behavioral patterns correlate with family socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood and adulthood. This study used a 19 question survey created on Google Forms. The final question was an open ended response that allowed participants to add any additional comments. The hypothesis was that children raised in higher SES households would consume healthier foods in childhood and adulthood, where lower SES households would consume less healthy foods. Researchers also predicted that if a child was raised in a low SES household, they would consume less healthy foods, but if they spent their adulthood in a higher SES household, they would shift their view of food to start consuming a greater quantity of healthier foods. This study consisted of 23 participants (21 females and 2 males), all ages 18 and older.