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[Immunity UP information] Solving children's food problems with food behavior studies … ②

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We will introduce excerpts from past musubi magazines and books published by Seishoku Publishing.
The eighth installment is an interview with Ms. Shoko Yamanaka about children's food worries from the special feature "Musubi Magazine June 6" "Can you change your eating behavior?"
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Children tend to dislike things that mothers dislike

In relation to "likes and dislikes," I also heard that children carefully observe the reactions of the adults around them and eat in accordance with the reactions of the adults.
　In a study conducted in the United States, when a baby was given tomato juice and orange juice alternately, there were variations in preferences, such as one day when he drank orange juice a lot and another day he drank tomato juice a lot. was given.
　Researchers found that the baby's juice preference changed depending on which juice the babysitter liked.
　For example, if a student who likes tomato juice is given orange juice, the baby will be sensitive to the slight changes in the student's gestures and facial expressions, which will affect their eating behavior. It is thought that he did not actively try to drink.
　Mr. Yamanaka tells the students, ``Before speaking or not speaking, there is nonverbal communication, and what you think and think will show in your attitude, so be careful.'' For it makes sense.
　“It is often said that a mother’s likes and dislikes are contagious to her children. First of all, mothers don’t put food they don’t like on the table. For example, if the child eats only a little, he or she may become wary of 'why is the mother not eating?'
　There are various factors involved in likes and dislikes.



“Fun” at the dining table leads to “delicious”

　Eating alone tends to be viewed negatively as ``single eating'' or ``solitary eating'', but Mr. Yamanaka says, ``In fact, it is better to concentrate on eating alone and eat more about the deliciousness of the food itself. I think that I can feel more strongly.
　The loneliness of eating alone is related to the idea that eating with someone is tastier than eating alone.But does it really taste better when eaten with someone else?
　Mr. Yamanaka and three other researchers in food behavior research jointly conducted an experiment and compiled a paper.As a result, I found that "It's not always delicious when you eat with someone."
　For example, the reason why I don't feel "bad" when I eat and drink with my friends at an izakaya is that I project the enjoyment of the place rather than judging the taste of the food itself as "delicious." That's what it means.
　So, in order to feel "delicious", it is important to eat under what circumstances.That's why it's so important to have fun at the dining table at home.
　“No matter how nutritious the mother may be, if the meal is not always enjoyable, the child will not be able to enjoy it.”
　Children will feel very uncomfortable if their test results are criticized or scolded during meals.That "bad feeling" may cause "likes and dislikes" of the food you were eating at that time, so be careful.

Focusing too much on health can lead to unhealthy results

　Mr. Yamanaka says that "delicious" is an "extremely ambiguous concept," just as it was said that even the same food can change its "deliciousness" depending on the atmosphere of the place.
　“Especially for humans, a large part of what we eat is cognitive, so some people feel that organic vegetables are 'delicious.' In many cases, it is difficult to distinguish between vegetables that are not.In that sense, placing too much emphasis on 'cognitive eating' can lead to unhealthy health."
　Paul Rosin, an American psychologist who is said to be a leading researcher of eating behavior, thought of the following questions.
　"You're going to a deserted island with an orange tree. If you could only take one hot dog, chocolate, banana, or alfalfa (or spinach), what would you choose?"
　Perhaps a health-conscious person might choose spinach.However, if you think it's a survival issue where you have to live on oranges and one more kind, chocolate is the wisest choice because it's high in calories and has a long shelf life.
　It's one of the best examples of the paradox caused by cognitive distortions, where too much focus on health can lead to unhealthy outcomes.

A certain amount of training is required to enjoy “subtractive” Japanese food
　
　In order to feel the "taste" of many foods, a certain amount of training is required.
　Simply put, if you don't eat carrots, you won't know how delicious carrots are.
　“People who are not accustomed to eating vegetables probably do not know the taste of vegetables. Then, even if they know that vegetables are good for their health, they do not want to eat them. People who know the taste of brown rice can eat brown rice.”
　According to Mr. Yamanaka, more training is required for Japanese food than for Western food.
　“What makes Japanese food different from Western food is the culture of subtraction. To be able to appreciate the taste of dashi, you have to sharpen your taste buds to some extent. I don't know how delicious it is.However, Western food is a culture of addition.In the case of addition, you can understand the deliciousness without training.That's why it's easy."
　When you think of training, for example, you can think of things like maintaining a certain level of hunger and sharpening your senses, including your sense of taste. However, in an environment where we can easily and quickly obtain attractive foods, it is difficult to do so.”

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Sachiko Yamanaka
Associate professor at Ikenobo Junior College.He is a doctor (new medicine).He is also a part-time lecturer at Kobe Shoin Women's College Faculty of Human Sciences and Kyoto Tachibana University Faculty of Human Development. In 1991, she graduated from Doshisha University, majoring in psychology. After working for a private company for three years, she went to study in France for half a year. In 3 she entered Kobe Shoin Women's Junior College.After giving birth and taking a leave of absence, she graduated from the same junior college in 97, majoring in food and nutrition science, and obtained a license as a nutritionist. In 2000 she obtained her registered dietitian license. In 2002, he worked as an assistant in the Department of Life Sciences at Kobe Shoin Women's Gakuin University, completed the first half of the doctoral course at the Graduate School of Human Sciences at Kobe College, and completed the second half of the doctoral course at the Graduate School of Chemistry at Doshisha University.He took up his post at Ikenobo University in 05, and has been teaching public health, food hygiene, and food value to students aiming to become confectionery hygienists.