Changes in tastes in Britain, 1985‐1992

The paper analyses data from the British Health and Lifestyles Survey of 1984/5 and the follow‐up survey of 1992. It attempts to break down a large number of food consumption patterns into a smaller number of interpretable factors or tastes which are then used in statistical regression models to analyse the determinants and changes in the strengths of these tastes over time. The results show that the nature of change has been contradictory when looked at from a health‐based perspective. Some tastes are changing in a healthier direction, while others are not. Social class, age, and gender are all shown to be significant determinants of taste in both time periods.