title: Food preferences in young Dutch children and recommendations for feeding intervention in developmental disabilities.
abstract: Total and chronic food refusal (i.e., the refusal of all types of food during a prolonged period) in young children with developmental disabilities can be treated effectively using a combination of environmental interventions. However, no guidelines for the selection of food items to offer the child in these interventions are available. The aim of the present study was to assess the preferences for specific food items of young Dutch nondisabled children (N=254) in order to enable trainers to select food items that maximize success of feeding interventions. Results indicate that 54 out of 107 food items were found to be preferred. The mean appreciation scores of boys and girls did not differ significantly for these preferred food items, except for raisins and brown bread. Also, there were no differences between the distinguished age-groups, except for peach. Recommendations for the selection of food items within feeding intervention for total and chronic food refusal in young children with developmental disabilities are given.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Department of Special Education, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Stijn R J M
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Deckers
authors.forename: Jan M H
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: De Moor
authors.forename: Jan J W
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Van der Burg
mesh_terms: D002652:Child Behavior; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D012016:Reference Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires