Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Food is one of the basic necessities of a human being. Knowledge and

understanding of what foods mean to people are important for them to know if

they are eating the right food and getting enough nutrients that their body

needs per meal.

There is a critical importance to understand students’ values and

preferences, in order to satisfy their needs (Honkanen, 2004). Adolescents

experience greater autonomy at school and, thus, their food choices may be

influenced by growing independence. Some researchers have shown stability

in food consumption patterns throughout childhood and adolescence (Skinner,

2002) while others have demonstrated food preferences to change across

time (Cooke & Wardle, 2005).

Preferences of students are not static, consideration of methods for

altering food offerings to them is important because these mechanisms may

impact food preferences and consumption. Food choices are framed in terms

of the quality expectations before and after our purchase of a food product

Grunert (2002). On the one hand, preference in the context of food can

indicate a consumers’ choice of one food product over another. Liking, on the
other hand, reflects the assessment of quality of a product (Franchi, 2012).

Therefore, the researchers come up with this study to help the University of

Mindanao foodservice directors to know the perceptions of the student

towards their preferred meal.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the perception of the students of the

University of Mindanao towards their preferred meals that the school canteen

offered. It specifically sought to answer the following:

1. What is the importance of knowing the preference of the students in

choosing the right meal?

2. What are the factors influenced the food preferences of the

students?

3. How do the school foodservice directors further encourage students

to consume healthy meals?

Purpose of the Study

The researcher will conduct this study in order to identify and evaluate

the preferred meal of the students and to have valuable information that may
be used by foodservice managers and others who are seeking to improve the

diets of the students while developing life-long healthy eating habits. Thus, it

will help the foodservice personnel plan and prepare meals that are more

acceptable to the students. Practical implications will be identified to provide

inputs for long term market strategies, which is to increase the student

consumer’s satisfaction with meal and food products and therefore benefiting

the marketers. Moreover, student’s food preferences will be an important

component to consider in successful menu alterations (Cooke & Wardle,

2005).

Theoretical Lens

Significance of the Study

Understanding factors that influence a student’s food choices at school

is important for designing future interventions to increase the consumption of

healthy foods and beverages and reduce consumption of unhealthy foods and

beverages. This research will explain the common factors that influence why

students will buy a certain meal or food and to justify the effect of the price to

the buying behavior of the students. University policy makers may benefit
from the study by using the results to devise more specific policies in order to

boost student’s healthy meal/food consumption.

Definition of Terms

Delimitations and Limitations

This study will primarily focus on the perceptions of the college students

towards their food preferences and it will be conducted at the University of

Mindanao specifically in the food canteen or the food court of the school. The

discretion of the participants have instigated by the fact that they are the

primary customers of the school canteen in the University of Mindanao.

Organization of the Study

 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Students are faced with several food choices in their food court each

day and make decisions on what food to eat based on several criteria. The

need for food is a basic, physiological need with a clear and simple goal and a

seemingly straight forward solution on how to be satisfied.

As easy as it may possible to look, food choices are versatile and are

not necessarily straightforward. It can be considered as common knowledge

that people have different food preferences. What is fascinating however, is

what causes these differences and mostly why they occur. We already know

that there are some biological differences in how we perceive the basic tastes

(Tuorila, 2007). Various factors influence our food choices and preferences;

Research was conducted in Texas Tech University where among 80

students were asked about factors that influence their food choices and where

they get nutrition knowledge. Responses were organized according to

common themes and patterns and were guided by an ecological model. The

result signifies that multiple levels of influence on students’ food choices were

indicated, including taste, food appearance, the name of the food and/or

familiarity with the food, cultural preferences, and perceived food safety.
Students reported receiving little nutrition knowledge from school. (Murimi,

2016).

Scientists have found that the factors could be classified into five

sections, namely cultural and personal factors, resources, social factors and

present context, all of which interact (Klazine, Ferrage & Rytz, 2014).

Other scientists identified other factors influencing individual’s food

choices, for instance, “physiological factors, individual differences such as

genetic predispositions, personality traits and the opportunities for learning

across the life span, and social influence” (Delaney & McCarthy, 2009).

According to Sobal & Bisogni (2009), “food choice decisions are

frequent, dynamic, multifaceted and complex”. Food decisions are affected by

social behavior and social environment when observed from a social

perspective.

Main Food Determinants

Flavor

Flavor involves an assortment of vibrations that pass from the centre of

smells in the nose and taste buds on the tongue and touch receptors in the
mouth (Tuleu & Breitkreutz, 2013). A mixture of sharpness, heat and cooling

is experienced when food is placed in the mouth, and will affect the

experience of eating food (Tuleu & Breitkreutz, 2013). Yeomans (2007)

identifies the learning experience after eating specific food as the flavor

consequence learning, which can be negative or positive, according to the

experience itself.

Appearance

Study has shown that serving plays an important role in food

preferences (Wilbur, 2013). We eat what our eyes like to see (Rouby, Schaal

& Dubois, 2002). Contrast in colors when serving food is preferred (Wilbur,

2013) For instance, when orange and red colors are used, it stimulates good

appetite (Ines, 2011). Variety plays an important role in food preferences,

especially when feeding kids and the packaging of the products is also a key

factor (Wilbur, 2013).

Texture

The textures of the food include physical properties. When eating, the

pressure and movement receptors stimulate the skin and muscles of the

mouth and tongue to detect feelings of smoothness, viscosity, granular,

vulnerability and fibrous textures (Tuleu & Breitkreutz, 2013).

Palatability

Palatability is defined as ″the property of being acceptable to the mouth

“TASTE” (Tuleu & Breitkreutz, 2013). Appetite training is one of most

important factors which can determine children’s food choice (Carnell &

Wardle, 2008). The pleasure that the sweetened and high-fat foods and the

fullness it gives explain why children prefer these foods (Cooke & Wardle,

2005). Preference for sweet taste rather than bitter taste is more instinctive

behaviour in humans from birth (Booth, Sharpe & Conner, 2011).

Cost

Price is identified by Voevodin (2012) as a factor influencing the food

choice of most consumers. Students or working people tend to buy meals that

do not need a long time to prepare. Vegetables and fruit can be bought at

competitive prices comparing with high-energy dense foods (Golan, Stewart &

Kuchler, 2008).

Personal determinants

Many personal factors such as perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and

motivation influence our food choices. Health and food-related health

problems motivate consumers to adopt healthier food-consumption patterns.

Health is a quality dimension used in the evaluation of food (Wrick, 1995).

According to Vab & Hansen (2014) that “body temperature, internal

tensions, heart rate, and dryness of the mouth and hunger and satiety
sensations”. The most important factor is the person with the desire for

change and wants to get rid of the problems associated with the health

system (Givens, Baxter & Minihane, 2008).

Mood

Food choice can clearly improve mood status (King & Meiselman,

2010). Some foods contribute to raising the hormone serotonin, which keeps

energy balanced in the body, such as fish rich in omega-3, chocolate and

foods high in whole grains, and legumes (Bolborea & Dale, 2013).

Stress

Stress can influence food choice in different ways, depending on the

type of stress experienced. The effect it has will depend on the individual,

what causes the stress and the circumstances. Some people eat less; others

eat more when they stress (Olive & Wardle, 1999). Certain foods can

decrease the level of stress (Martin FJ, Rezzi, S., Pere, E., Kamlage, B.,

Collino, S. & Leibold, E. 2009), for instance, dark chocolate consumption

decreases psychological stress (Lua & Wong, 2011).

Social setting

Most people prefer eating at home, but due to different circumstances

and needs, people sometimes have to eat at schools, universities or

workplaces. Places where a child eats at the day-care facility and becomes

familiar with the food at the facility. This can influence the child′s food choices

late in life (Smolensky & Gootman, 2003). The nutritional quality of a diet and

eventually food choices can be improved if day-care facilities provide good-

quality food (Story, Kaphingst & French, 2006).

Religion

Religion often prescribes the way in which food should be prepared

and it often forbids certain foods. It is possible that the religious influence as a

factor affects health in these cases, providing them with a religious social

support and deal against behavior that causes health risks, and encourages

positive health behavior (Omar, Hirst & Blankson, 2004).The food and drinks

of a particular religious group may be different from other, while variation in

serving of plant and animal dishes for a specific religion is important to all

followers. It is important for the host and the marketplace as well (Pretorius &

Sliwa, 2011).

Cultural influence

“Culture is a system of shared understandings and interactions that

shapes, and in turn, is shaped by experience.” Shared values and beliefs are

core aspects of all cultures and shape perceptions of food, health, and illness

Cultural influences are known to change when people move to a new country;

individuals adopt some of the food habits of the local culture (Caprio, 2008).
 Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

Presented in this section are the discussions of the research design,

role of the researcher, research participants/materials, data collection, data

analysis and ethical considerations.

Research Design

This study uses descriptive qualitative research design for it best

served to give an answer to the research questions and to give clarifications

to the purpose of the study. This type of design is the simplest and an easier

way in getting such information needed by the researcher.

Role of the Researcher

The main role of the researchers is conducting the perceptions of the

food preferences of the students in the University of Mindanao by making a

survey questionnaires, distributions of the questionnaires to the students,

analysis of the data, interpreting the data, making a conclusion and lastly

suggesting recommendation.

Research Participants/Materials

The respondents of this research are mainly the students of the

University of Mindanao. The researcher decided to select the college students

as their respondents for they are the primary customers of the school canteen

in the University, and they are main subject or the basis on obtaining the

perceptions about their preferred meal in the canteen. Thus, they are in the

best position to fulfill the information needed by the researcher to answer the

research question of this study.

A 30-item questionnaire is design which will take 15-20 minutes to

complete. All the questions were tabulated and coded with nominal comprised

“yes” and “no” questions and open questions. In this method, the researcher

will know if there are any specific food items that students cannot find on the

campus. With the “yes” and “no” questions it was easy for students to answer

and for the researcher to analyze it.

Data Collection

The study will commence questionnaires that personally will administer

to the respondents by the researchers. Data will be collected after the student

finish answering the questionnaires. The use of questionnaires for data

collection was suitable for this study to collect a large amount of relatively

simple data, but data that could only be obtained from the individual students.

Through gathering and analyzing the data from the given survey, the

researcher can obtain directly on what are the responses of the students from

the survey questionnaires.

Data Analysis

The researchers will include the initial preparations which are the

questions should be clear and concise. The recovery of questionnaires will be,

tallied, tabulated, analyzed and be interpreted confidentially and accordingly

through the aid of the statistician. In addition, the researchers shall ensure if

the data are suitable or appropriate for the analysis to carry out. Hence, the

retrieved data will begin manipulating by the researchers to find the exact data

they need and the interpretation of the data.

Ethical Considerations

Permission to conduct a survey for students was obtained through

ethical permission from the student with the approval of their professor to

gather the necessary data in both variables. The researchers will assure that

the data collection instrument does not contain information that could readily

identify participants. In addition, researcher will only collect information that is

necessary to achieve the study’s objective. Thus, any form of biases in this

manuscript will not be permitted.

Trustworthiness

This research use to assess the people's opinions and their different

perceptions about the topic of the study. The information will come from the

sample population or a few people that are considered as a representative of

the entire group from the specific area where the study will be conducted.

The researcher will be going to use study codes. The use of the study

code is an effective method for protecting the confidentiality of research

participants. Study codes may be used on data collection instruments in place

of identifying information to protect participants’ responses/data when data

documents are stored or out in the open. Hence, to the event that a data

document is lost, stolen, etc. Having the data protected it will prevent anyone

who may view the data from determining the participants’ identity.