(Abstract)Masticating is much concerned with appetite and the adjustment of lipid and energy metabolism, besides chewing foods and having the subsidiary function to aid the foods with digestion and absorption. It also has the relationship with the brain function and has a physiological significance.In this study we surveyed the dietary behavior concerning the mastication of the nursery school children,who are in the important age of the formation of dietary habits. The masticatory score was calculated and the relationship between the masticating power examined by the occlusal force and the masticatory behavior was investigated.30 kinds of foods which infants are able to intake were chosen and the hardness of the textural properties of foods was examined. There was a high correlation between the hardness and the difficulty of intake, and the appropriateness of the choice of foods was confirmed. Furthermore the masticatory score calculated from the survey of food taking ability corresponded with the occlusal force, which made it possible to express the synthetic masticating power of infants quantitatively. There were a few infants who indicated a low value in the masticatory score and the occlusal force among the experimental subjects.Therefore, it is necessary to lead the appropriate dietary behavior and is important for infants to form a good dietary habit in the infant period.(要約)咀嚼動作は食物を噛み砕き､消化吸収を助ける補助的機能はもとより､食欲や脂質代謝の調節および熱代謝の調節等と深く関わり､脳機能と関連して生理的意義をもつとされている｡本研究では食習慣の形成に重要な時期である幼児期の保育園児を対象とし､咀嚼に関する食行動調査を行い､咀嚼スコアの算出､咬合力測定による咀嚼力について､総合的に咀嚼行動との関連性を検討した｡摂取可能食品30食品のテクスチャー試験による硬さと摂取難易度間には高い相関がみられ､食品の選択の妥当性が確認された｡また､摂取可能食品の調査から算出される咀嚼スコアは､咬合力を反映するものであり､これらは幼児の総合的な咀嚼力の数値化を可能とした｡対象とした幼児の中には､丸飲みすることがよくある､食事をあまり噛まない等がみられた｡また､咀嚼スコアおよび咬合力が低値を示した者もいた｡この時期からの適正な咀嚼行動の変容が求められ､食習慣の形成の重要性が示唆された｡
