Children's perceptions of the health of packaged food: Preferences differ according to packaging attributes and...

The food environment provides an abundance of energy-dense packaged food, some specifically designed to attract children. The appeal of these energy-dense child-targeted foods can have health implications. Some children may be more susceptible to their appeal due to temperamental differences, namely their levels of impulsivity and inhibitory control. This study aimed to determine whether the temperamental dimensions of impulsivity and inhibitory control were associated with children's preferences for packaged food. Five hundred fourteen primary school children (5-12 years) recruited from a science museum participated in a discrete choice experiment to determine their preferred packaging attributes, an implicit association test to assess their attitudes toward packaging, and anthropometric measurements. Primary caregivers completed either the Child Behavior Questionnaire or the Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire to assess impulsivity and inhibitory control in their children. T-tests and multiple regression analyses were utilised for the study. Four key results were found: (a) children preferred the food packaging attributes that reflected healthiness, and (b) they perceived the child-targeted packaging to be healthier compared with plain packaging. However, (c) older children (aged 9-12 years) with higher levels of impulsivity were less discriminating with the packaging design than did children with lower levels, and (d) there was no effect of inhibitory control on children's preferences. Future research should investigate how food manufacturers and policymakers can design food packaging to support children in making healthier choices from packaged foods, particularly those with higher levels of impulsivity.