Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
04:56
Assessment of Social Transmission of Food Preferences Behaviors
Published on: January 25, 2018
Adolescents' food choice patterns at school: A data driven approach.
P Mwithaga1, M Holmes1, H Ensaff1
1Nutritional Sciences and Epidemiology, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
Appetite
|February 12, 2026
Summary
Adolescent school food choices reveal common patterns, with cookies and traybakes dominating selections. Few students were identified as healthy lunchers, highlighting a need for dietary interventions.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent nutrition
- School food environments
- Dietary patterns
Background:
- Adolescence is a critical period for nutrition due to rapid growth and development.
- School food choices significantly impact overall adolescent dietary intake.
- Understanding these choices is key to promoting healthier eating habits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate adolescent food choice patterns within a secondary school setting.
- To identify distinct food selection profiles among students.
- To analyze associations between food choice patterns and student demographics.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of food selection data from 857 students (aged 11-18) over an academic year.
- Application of cluster analysis to derive food choice profiles.
- Examination of correlations between cluster membership and sex, year group, and free school meal status.
Main Results:
- Five distinct food choice clusters were identified: 'sandwich combo fans', 'break time snackers', 'traybake enthusiasts', 'pizza lovers', and 'healthy lunchers'.
- Cookies and traybakes were prevalent across multiple clusters, indicating a general preference.
- A small proportion of students (n=13) were categorized as 'healthy lunchers'.
- Significant, though small, associations were found between cluster membership and year group, free school meal status, and sex.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent food choices in schools are characterized by the popularity of specific items like cookies and traybakes.
- The limited number of 'healthy lunchers' suggests a need for targeted interventions.
- Further research should explore item popularity and develop strategies to improve adolescent dietary health at school.
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