Factors affEcting childrEn’s heaLthy eatING

Experts agree that a healthy diet can play an integral role in reducing obesity rates, and cutting the risk of serious health in later life and that the main means to promote health dietary habits are health education and health promotion. On the other hand, studies show that healthy eating habits are formed in childhood. In this context, it seems particularly relevant to understand how food habits are shaped in early infancy and developed later in life. Effective modification of dietary patterns depends on an understanding of the factors governing food choices. Taking into account the EU Commission care to children healthy food behaviours, the project intends to investigate the main factors affecting children’s eating and to define quantitative evaluation processes to measure the children perception of messages about health in food and nutrition. This will be pursued through an extensive study of the effect and interaction between environmental determinants (e.g. advertising), socio-cultural background and sensory perceptions on the children food preferences and choices.