Family Meals Can Protect Against Obesity, Researchers Say

Sharon Moore October 07, 2014

Obesity among teens is on the rise. But there’s one simple strategy to save them from the harmful effects of having excess fats – ensure they sit down with the family for several meals a week.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity now affects 17 per cent of all children and adolescents in the United States – triple the rate from just one generation ago.

Overweight or obese youth are more likely to become overweight and obese adults and investigators are studying various preventative initiatives. For example, it has been suggested that family meals, which tend to include fruits, vegetables, calcium, and whole grains, could be protective against obesity.

For the new study, researchers from the University of Minnesota and Columbia University used data from a 10-year longitudinal study which involved 2,287 subjects. Of these, 50 per cent were overweight and 22 per cent were obese.

The study, called Project EAT (Eating and Activity among Teens), examined weight-related variables (e.g., dietary intake, physical activity, weight control behaviours) among adolescents. Questions were asked to assess family meal frequency and body mass index.

“It is important to identify modifiable factors in the home environment, such as family meals, that can protect against overweight/obesity through the transition to adulthood.” says lead author Jerica M. Berge.

Among adolescents who reported that they never ate family meals together, 60 per cent were overweight and 29 per cent were obese at the 10-year follow-up.

Researchers found that even having as few as one or two family meals a week during adolescence, were significantly associated with reduced odds of overweight or obesity at the 10-year follow-up compared with those reporting never having had family meals during adolescence.

The protective effect of family meal frequency on obesity was stronger among black young adults compared with white young adults. But the limited significant interactions overall by race/ethnicity suggest that the protective influence of family meals for adolescents spans all races/ethnicities.

Because of their findings, researchers believe family meals help protect against obesity or overweight for numerous reasons. First, touching base and communicating over meals may provide opportunities for emotional connections among family members. In addition, the food is more likely to be healthful, and teens benefit from parental modelling of healthful eating behaviours.

“Informing parents that even having one or two family meals per week may protect their child from overweight or obesity in young adulthood would be important.”

Researchers believe the study finding give health care providers and public health workers another tool to share with parents in the fight against obesity.

Source of this article: Family Meals Can Protect Against Obesity