The food preference of the younger people living in 10 areas of Japan: Sapporo, Sendai, Kanazawa, Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Fukuoka was studied.
Three hundred and fifty-five men and 394 women responded to the questionaire concerning 260 kinds of dishes investigated by means of the Food Action Rating Scale.
The results are summarized as follows:
1. In general the men preferred better meat and fish, while the women did cakes, fruits and salads.
2. Almost all of the young generation seemed to dislike kuwai, okara, and shoyumame.
3. The average points of 260 dishes was over 5.
4. The standard deviation acquired proved to provide considerably good information. Some food groups were found to he especially preferred either by young men or young women.
(a) Women tended to prefer rice, noodles and vegetables more than men.
(b) Pulse, pickles and fish showed a low standard deviation.
(c) Eggs and seaweeds showed the same pattern of preference.
(d) Meat, milk and chowder (dish containing various materials served in a boiling pot) were preferred by both sex and also showed a low standard deviation.
(e) There was a different taste for soup, mushroom and drinks between men and women.
(f) Women particularily liked bread, cakes and fruits.