Chapter 9: In-context Measures of Food Acceptance Across the Lifespan

The food preferences of consumers evolve across the lifespan, motivated by biological, psychosocial and behavioural changes. This evolution encompasses changes in the senses and their functioning as well as modifications in dietary patterns brought about by ageing, life-cycle and modifications in lifestyle. As eating is a multifactorial phenomenon, real-life studies are recommended to better understand food choice and consumption. This chapter describes various approaches proposed to study food preferences in context. These can be used to study the evolution of food appreciation and eating habits across the lifespan, as illustrated by the case studies presented here: children in primary school, students on university campus, adults in a multisensory immersive experience hall (MIXH®) and dependent elderly individuals in a care home.