Eating habits in childhood relate to preference for traditional diets among young Japanese

The present study investigated whether eating habits during childhood, specifically the type of food eaten for breakfast, is related to later attitudes toward traditional foods among young Japanese. In the experiment, participants were classified into two groups: one consisting of freshmen that habitually ate a Japanese-style breakfast during childhood (n = 28) and the other of freshmen that habitually ate a Western-style breakfast (n = 20). They were asked to complete a personalized implicit association test (IAT) and a self-report questionnaire, both of which measure attitudes toward Japanese and Western foods. Results demonstrated that implicit and explicit associations between Japanese food and attitude in the Japanese-style breakfast group were stronger than those between type of food and attitude in the Western-style breakfast group. Thus, positive attitudes toward traditional diets in young Japanese are likely related to the type of breakfast eaten in childhood.