AO3 evaluation

• • Evidence supporting learning explanations: Mennella et al (2005) found that genetics primarily determine food preferences in children (e.g. liking sweet tastes and disliking bitter ones) but by adulthood environmental factors are far more important, supporting learning explanations of food preferences.
• • Practical applications: Understanding the social and cultural influences of food preferences has useful applications. For example, if mothers transmit food preferences to their children in the womb, it makes sense for mothers to eat healthily during pregnancy to avoid passing on a taste for unhealthy foods to their children. In the case of culture, health agencies can tailor dietary advice to the culture they operate in.