Family Dinners Can Promote Healthy Eating Habits in Teens: Study

Family dinners can promote healthy eating habits among teenagers.

Having dinner with family allows spending time with them and also leads to healthier eating habits. 

(Photo: iStockphoto)

Teenagers and young adults having dinner together with their families are more likely to have healthier eating habits than those who eat alone, a new study has revealed.

The researchers found that when families sit down together, adolescents and young adults eat more fruits and veggies and consume fewer fast-food.

According to lead researcher Kathryn Walton, post-doctoral researcher at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, Canada:

It’s a time when families can slow down from their busy days to talk, spend time together and problem-solve. It’s also a time that parents can model healthful eating behaviours.

The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that preparing and enjoying a meal together can also help families bond and the meal does not have to be a big drawn-out affair.

Jess Haines, Professor from the University of Guelph in Canada, said:

Even if it’s something you pull out of the freezer, add a bagged salad on the side and you’ll have a decent nutritional meal.

Walton said many teenagers and young adults living at home are busy with evening extracurricular activities or part-time jobs, making it hard to find time for dinner with family members.

But finding that time once a day - even if it's breakfast together - can be just as effective, the researcher said.

For the study, the team looked at more than 2,700 participants, 14 to 24 years of age.