Maryam Tavakoli-Bahabadi - Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Masoumeh Abbasi-Shavazi - Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Sara Jambarsang - Research Center for Healthcare Data Modeling, Departments of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Azadeh Nadjarzadeh - Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

Background: Studies have shown that children’s food preferences play a main role in the formation of long-term eating habits and nutritional patterns in their future lives. This study aimed to investigate food preferences of primary students in Yazd, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on ۴۲۰ primary school students of Yazd, both male and female, using two-stage sampling method. The data collection tool was a self-administered questionnaire including demographic variables and food preferences checklist. The data were entered in SPSS ۲۳ software and analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test. The significance level of the tests was considered as P-value < ۰.۰۵. Results: Starchy food category with the mean score of ۳.۷۰±۰.۴۴ was reported as the highest food preference and protein category (۳.۱۷±۰.۶۹) was reported as the lowest food preference among food categories in students. Gender, economic status, and body mass index (BMI) were related to students’ food preferences (P < ۰.۰۵). The median score of food preference for vegetables, fruits, and proteins in girls was higher than boys (P < ۰.۰۵), and for starchy food, fast foods, snacks, and fats was higher for boys than for girls (P < ۰.۰۱). The mean score of starchy food preference in students with lean and normal BMI was higher than students in overweight and obese group (P= ۰.۰۱). Conclusion: Starchy food and protein categories were reported as the highest and lowest food preferences among primary school students, respectively. It seems necessary to pay special attention to increase the awareness of students as well as their parents and primary schools principals about healthy foods in childhood and healthy food environments.

Food preferences, Nutrition, Student, Children