Article

Correlations Between Family Meals and Psychosocial Well-being Among Adolescents

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Abstract

To determine the association between frequency of family meals and multiple indicators of adolescent health and well-being (tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use; academic performance; self-esteem; depressive symptoms; and suicide involvement) after controlling for family connectedness. Data come from a 1998-1999 school-based survey of 4746 adolescents from ethnically and socioeconomically diverse communities in the Minneapolis/St Paul, Minn, metropolitan area. Logistic regression, controlling for family connectedness and sociodemographic variables, was used to identify relationships between family meals and adolescent health behaviors. Approximately one quarter (26.8%) of respondents ate 7 or more family meals in the past week, and approximately one quarter (23.1%) ate family meals 2 times or less. Frequency of family meals was inversely associated with tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use; low grade point average; depressive symptoms; and suicide involvement after controlling for family connectedness (odds ratios, 0.76-0.93). Findings suggest that eating family meals may enhance the health and well-being of adolescents. Public education on the benefits of family mealtime is recommended.

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... Another research showed that the parents' health practices, nutrition knowledge, and healthier food choices contributed to a healthier home [38]. Previous research has shown that the percentage of adolescents who eat a meal with their family seven or more times a week can be as low as 25% [39]. This finding implies the importance of parent education for family health besides the need to ensure that interventions centered on family meals are appropriate for and reach out to parents with lower levels of educational status [40]. ...
... This finding implies the importance of parent education for family health besides the need to ensure that interventions centered on family meals are appropriate for and reach out to parents with lower levels of educational status [40]. Many adolescents do not eat with their families every day regardless of the many obvious benefits of family meals [39,41]. Corresponding to the results of one study involving 902 parents of adolescents, 79% of parents and 54% of adolescents reported having conflicting schedules that made it difficult to eat together [42]. ...
... This finding is supported by the existing literature that links the frequency of family meals with higher academic achievement [48]. A study reported that the frequency of family meals was inversely related to low grade point averages in adolescents [39]. Family meals might contribute to establishing bonding toward cultural and household practices, which can strengthen the cognitive health of adolescents [49]. ...
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The eating behavior (EB) and habits developed during adolescence tend to persist into adulthood, with parents and caregivers playing a significant role in shaping their children’s food choices. The home environment is a crucial setting for developing eating behavior during adolescence. This study aimed to explore the influence of the home food environment (HFE) and its correlates on EB, family meals (FMs), and academic achievement among adolescents in schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 304 school-aged adolescents from the UAE. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, dietary habits, information related to the HFE (food availability and accessibility), physical activity, sleep patterns, and academic achievement. Several questionnaire items were combined to create an HFE score. These questions included the frequency of weekly family meals, meal preparation practices, and accessibility to healthy and unhealthy food products and snacks at home. The HFE score was dichotomized into favorable and unfavorable HFE scores. Similarly, EB and FM scores were generated by combining responses to various related questions. The participants’ weights and heights were measured. The findings reported that more than half (55%) of the adolescents were either overweight or obese. The majority of the participants had favorable HFE (57.2%), EB (69.1%), and FM scores (58.2%). The significant correlates to the HFE were as follows: male participants whose parents attended college (OR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.15–0.62; p < 0.001), high academic achievers (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.02–3.82; p = 0.043), and those who were physically active (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.14-2.85; p = 0.012), were more likely to have favorable HFE. Moreover, the HFE score showed a highly significant positive correlation with the EB score (r = 0.573, p < 0.001) and the FM score (r = 0.384, p < 0.001). These results underscore the critical role of a healthy HFE in shaping healthy positive eating behaviors and food choices among adolescents. They provide a foundation for developing effective, evidence-based policies that can impact the health and academic success of adolescents in the UAE.
... Family meals are related to better adolescent well-being and healthier dietary habits (Hammons & Fiese, 2011;Utter et al., 2017), but associations between family meals and substance use risk are relatively less consistent (Goldfarb et al., 2015). More frequent family meals have been related to lower risk for substance use, including lower frequency of alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use both concurrently and years later (Eisenberg et al., 2004(Eisenberg et al., , 2008Fulkerson et al., 2009;Levin et al., 2012;Sen, 2010), with stronger associations in female than in male adolescents (Eisenberg et al., 2008;Fisher et al., 2007;White & Halliwell, 2011). Family meals can serve as a family ritual, imparting stability within the home (Skeer et al., 2018). ...
... Analyses were tested in a community sample of socioeconomically diverse youth because evidence suggests that low socioeconomic status may impose barriers to regular family meals (e.g., work conflicts, food insecurity; Middleton et al., 2020). In line with previous research (Eisenberg et al., 2004), adolescents who had more frequent family meals were hypothesized to have a lower substance use count and to use alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes less frequently, especially for female adolescents due to aspects of socialization rather than biological differences from male adolescents. Whereas previous studies have asked participants to estimate their general frequency of family meals, which may bias reporting, participants in the present study completed daily checklists for 2 weeks, for which they reported daily family meals. ...
... In line with prior studies, family meals were related to lower substance use only among female adolescents (Eisenberg et al., 2008;Fisher et al., 2007;White & Halliwell, 2011). Substance use tends to increase during high school, and the present study suggested that more frequent family meals may be related to lower substance use risk during this time, replicating results from a previous study of high school students (Eisenberg et al., 2004). Because we lacked earlier assessments of family meals and substance use, it is possible that observed results were driven by youth who had frequent family meals consistently throughout their childhood. ...
Article
Adolescents, especially female youth, who have more family meals tend to be at lower risk for substance use. The present study tested whether family meals relate to substance use count and frequency during high school, whether associations differ by gender, and whether other family‐related variables explain these associations. A community sample of 316 adolescents ( M age = 16.40, SD = 0.74; 56.96% female; 41.77% Latine, 23.10% Asian American, 29.11% European American, 6.01% from other ethnic backgrounds including Middle Eastern and African American) reported the number of substances they have ever used and how often they used alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes, and completed measures of parental support and family cohesion. Across 15 days, they reported whether they had a family meal, got along with parents, and spent leisure time with their family each day. Regression models tested associations between frequency of family meals and substance use, whether associations differed by gender, and whether associations were explained by other family‐related variables. Results indicated that more frequent family meals were associated with lower substance use count and less frequent alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use among female adolescents but not male adolescents. Other daily family experiences were unrelated to substance use, and family meal frequency was independently related to lower substance use after accounting for parental support and family cohesion. Taken together, more frequent family meals in high school may reduce substance use risk for female adolescents, and interventions could consider promoting family meals in addition to other positive family values.
... The reasons behind this gender disparity in breakfast skipping are multifaceted and can be attributed to a combination of physiological, psychological, sociocultural, and behavioral factors. Physiological, psychological, sociocultural [4,61] and to some extent behavioral factors [62] influence breakfast skipping among female adolescents, while behavioral factors largely late night gaming behaviors and substance abuse influence breakfast skipping in boys [13,[63][64][65][66][67]. Cultural norms and societal expectations often contribute to this finding, as females may face greater pressures related to body image and appearance [4,61]. ...
... Previous studies have provided evidence that using substances like cigarettes, alcohol, and cannabis is linked to both the behavior of skipping breakfast and experiencing psychosomatic symptoms [13,63,64]. When people do not eat breakfast and also use substances, they are more likely to have problems with their feelings and body, such as feeling stressed, sad, or having physical symptoms. ...
... When people do not eat breakfast and also use substances, they are more likely to have problems with their feelings and body, such as feeling stressed, sad, or having physical symptoms. For example, some previous studies found that teenagers who smoke, drink alcohol, or use cannabis were more likely to skip breakfast [63,64]. These substances can affect their appetite or the choices they make about food. ...
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This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the mediating roles of gender and substance use in the influence of breakfast skipping on psychosomatic symptoms. The study used data among a nationally-representative sample of 2855 Canadian adolescents who participated in the 2018 Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. Sequential logistic regressions were used to estimate the associations between breakfast skipping and psychosomatic symptoms. Path analysis using a non-parametric bootstrapping technique tested the hypothesized mediating roles. Results showed that adolescents who skipped breakfast were 2.55 times more likely to report higher psychosomatic symptoms compared to non-breakfast skippers (AOR = 2.55; 95% CI = 1.75–3.82). The bootstrapping mediation models showed that breakfast skipping indirectly influenced psychosomatic symptoms through substance use and gender, accounting for 18.47% (β\beta = 0.0052, Boots 95% CI = 0.0025, 0.00730) and 10.70% (β\beta = 0.0091, Boots 95% CI = 0.0052, 0.0125), respectively, of the total effect. Our findings have important implications for targeted public and mental health interventions to address both breakfast skipping and psychosomatic symptoms among adolescents. Conclusion: The study compellingly underscores the significance of incorporating gender-specific factors and substance use in understanding the correlation between breakfast skipping and psychosomatic symptoms. These insights hold importance for tailoring public health interventions to alleviate the prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms among adolescents by actively addressing breakfast skipping. What is Known: • Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day due to its role in providing the brain with the energy necessary to enhance cognitive functions. • Adolescents commonly exhibit a prevalent lifestyle behaviour of skipping breakfast. What is New: • This study provides robust evidence supporting the association between breakfast skipping and elevated psychosomatic symptoms in adolescents. • Gender and substance use mediate this association, offering novel insights into the complex interplay that contributes to psychosomatic symptoms among this demographic group. • Longitudinal research is needed to unravel causal relationships and illuminate the underlying mechanisms of this intricate connection.
... People of all ages, nationalities, and socioeconomic backgrounds benefit greatly from eating regular meals together as a family [4]. For instance, evidence suggests that having family meals together can help adolescents with their self-esteem, their academic performance, and substance misuse prevention [5]. However, there needs to be a current evidence review on the positive effects of home-cooked meals on family connections, health outcomes, social variables, or the quality of one's diet or meal patterns. ...
... In children, adolescents, and young adults, studies conducted in the past decade have demonstrated that eating meals together as a family protects against unhealthy weightrelated outcomes (such as excessive weight gain and disordered eating behaviors) [10,11], substance use [12], and poor psychosocial outcomes [5,13]. As it provides a daily chance for healthy eating and connection between family members, dining together is believed to provide physical and psychosocial benefits for people of all ages [14]. ...
Article
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This study investigated the complex interaction between individuals’ culinary tastes, at-home dining habits, and their broader impact on general well-being and relationships dynamics. An all-encompassing tool for assessing the impact of dietary choices on emotions related to coziness, social interaction, and general wellness, the multidimensional Culinary Comfort and Connection Index (CCCI) focuses on traditional home-cooked meals, in particular. We used an online-based survey to validate the CCCI. With a Cronbach alpha of 0.844, this scale is reliable and valid. It covers a wide range of aspects including self-care advocacy, traditional values, and a preference for handmade food. We performed descriptive and stratified analyses and tested correlations. The CCCI shows complicated patterns when analyzed with respect to gender, education level, and family income that demonstrate a myriad of factors impacting people’s views on food and its relationship to health. While some patterns emerged, the results imply that dietary choices do not necessarily correlate with overall health. The research highlights the complex interaction between cultural, societal, and personal elements in determining perspectives on nutrition and health by drawing on theoretical models like Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior. Future research should incorporate broader age ranges, longitudinal designs, different populations, objective measurements, and intervention trials to better understand the dynamic link between dietary preferences and health outcomes.
... Another study among adolescents indicated that those reporting eating five to seven family dinners per week were more likely of having high self-esteem (OR = 1.40; 95% CI 1.27 to 1.49) compared to those who reported eating zero to one family dinners per week (according to the Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors Survey) [28]. Conversely, Eisenberg et al. [29] reported lower odds of having low self-esteem per each further family meal in both adolescent boys and girls (boys: OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.06); girls: OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.04). Notwithstanding, these associations were not significant after adjusting for several covariates (e.g., family connectedness, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status). ...
... In support of this idea, parental support, emotional warmth, and positive parent-child relationships have been found to be significant factors related to a child's self-esteem [35]. Moreover, in adolescents, family meals may also enhance health and well-being (including self-esteem) [29]. ...
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Background: the aim of this study was to assess the associations of family meals and social eating behavior with self-esteem levels among Spanish adolescents. Methods: This was a secondary cross-sectional study including 706 participants (aged 12 to 17 years; 56.1% girls) from the Eating Habits and Daily Life Activities (EHDLA) study. The evaluation of the frequency of family meals involved participants providing information in physical education classes on how frequently they, along with other members of their household, had shared meals in the previous week. Social eating behavior was assessed by three different statements: “I usually have dinner with others”, “Having at least one meal a day with others (family or friends) is important to me”, and “I enjoy sitting down with family or friends for a meal”. To assess overall self-esteem, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used. Results: In the adjusted models, a positive association was observed between the frequency of family meals and the self-esteem score (unstandardized beta coefficient [B] = 0.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.003 to 0.12, p-adjusted = 0.040). Furthermore, the same positive association was also identified between social eating behavior and the self-esteem score (B = 0.23; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.40, p-adjusted = 0.005). Conclusions: Although self-esteem is complex and can be influenced by numerous factors, both family meals and social eating behavior may exert a relevant role in adolescents. Encouraging consistent participation in family meals and promoting positive eating practices could be valuable approaches in public health actions targeting the enhancement of self-esteem levels in adolescents.
... Specifically for physical health, studies have shown associations between family/shared meal frequency and higher diet quality, less unhealthy weight control behaviors, and reduced risk for childhood and adolescent obesity (Berge et al., 2015Fulkerson, Larson, et al., 2014;Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2003). Related to emotional health, family/shared meal frequency has been shown to be associated with child and adolescent lower levels of internalizing symptoms (e.g., depressive symptoms, anxiety; Berge et al., 2023;Eisenberg et al., 2004;Fulkerson et al., 2006Fulkerson et al., , 2009Utter et al., 2017) and externalizing symptoms (e.g., conduct disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Berge et al., 2023) and higher family functioning, communication, and connection (Berge et al., 2014(Berge et al., , 2017Eisenberg et al., 2004;Elgar et al., 2013;Fiese et al., 2012). Furthermore, these protective associations have been found across child's race/ethnicity, age, sex, and income (Berge et al., 2015). ...
... Specifically for physical health, studies have shown associations between family/shared meal frequency and higher diet quality, less unhealthy weight control behaviors, and reduced risk for childhood and adolescent obesity (Berge et al., 2015Fulkerson, Larson, et al., 2014;Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2003). Related to emotional health, family/shared meal frequency has been shown to be associated with child and adolescent lower levels of internalizing symptoms (e.g., depressive symptoms, anxiety; Berge et al., 2023;Eisenberg et al., 2004;Fulkerson et al., 2006Fulkerson et al., , 2009Utter et al., 2017) and externalizing symptoms (e.g., conduct disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Berge et al., 2023) and higher family functioning, communication, and connection (Berge et al., 2014(Berge et al., , 2017Eisenberg et al., 2004;Elgar et al., 2013;Fiese et al., 2012). Furthermore, these protective associations have been found across child's race/ethnicity, age, sex, and income (Berge et al., 2015). ...
Article
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Introduction: Studies in the United States have shown associations between family/shared meal frequency and child health and well-being. Less is known about family/shared meal characteristics (e.g., frequency, meal type, meal activities) in adults and international samples and whether there are protective associations between family/shared meal frequency and emotional well-being. Also unknown, is whether family meals provide protective associations for other family members in the household. Method: In a 2022 cross-sectional study, an online survey was administered in the United States, Italy, and Germany. One adult respondent (49.5% female; Mage = 45.6) from each household (n = 1,983) reported on family/shared meals and well-being. A second family member (e.g., partner, child) responded in a subset of households (n = 1,915). Descriptive statistics by country, Spearman correlations between meal frequency and well-being, and Kruskal–Wallis comparisons of mood indicators across countries were run. Results: The majority of adults across countries engaged in six or more family/shared meals per week, with more meals on weekends. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner family/shared meals were more common on weekends, and European countries reported engaging in a higher prevalence of all meal types. Higher frequency of family/shared meals was significantly correlated with fewer depressive symptoms, more connectedness, and higher levels of happiness in adults across countries and in a second household member. Discussion: Family/shared meals were beneficial across an international sample and may provide protective spillover effects for multiple household members. Clinicians and researchers who work with families may want to consider assessing for and intervening on family meal frequency.
... Mealtimes can yield benefits that go beyond food. Not only can it improve nutritional status and reduce health risk behaviours [30,31], sharing meals is linked to psychological wellbeing. Previous studies showed that being included in family mealtimes was associated with wellbeing of adults, older persons, and parents across such dimensions as self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and stress [30,32,33]. ...
... Not only can it improve nutritional status and reduce health risk behaviours [30,31], sharing meals is linked to psychological wellbeing. Previous studies showed that being included in family mealtimes was associated with wellbeing of adults, older persons, and parents across such dimensions as self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and stress [30,32,33]. This is because sharing the family meal provides household members a chance to discuss issues that may be bothering them, reaffirm family values, and improve or strengthen the family bond. ...
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The objective of this study was to investigate the association between happiness and food-related behaviours and other potential factors among older persons in Thailand. This was a cross-sectional study with multistage random sampling. In total, 1,197 older (age 60 + years) persons participated in this study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to obtain information about socio-demographic characteristics, health status, household chores, home gardening, financial situation, family meals, and food security. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were performed for data analysis. The analysis found that age, health status, household chores, and home gardening were found to be significantly associated with happiness. Statistically-significant associations of financial situation, family meals, and food insecurity with happiness were also observed. People who were not dissatisfied with their financial situation were happier than people who were unhappy with their financial situation. Older people who ate every meal with a family member(s) were happiest. People who had severe food insecurity were less happy than those with food security. The findings suggest the need for investment priorities on food and nutrition with a long-term policy to ensure financial self-sufficiency and food security among older persons and their family. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-023-04411-1.
... Family mealtimes provide an important space for daily interaction among family members (Fiese & Bost, 2016;Harrison et al., 2015;Jones, 2018). Past studies have highlighted the benefits of having family mealtimes on a range of child outcomes (Eisenberg et al., 2004;Harrison et al., 2015;Helton et al., 2023), such as externalizing and internalizing behaviors. However, research on the impact of parents', especially fathers', work-related stress on mealtime routines and child outcomes is scant. ...
... In line with previous literature that has suggested the benefits of mealtimes on child outcomes, the current findings revealed that having frequent mealtimes with either the mother or father partially explain the influence of parental work-related experiences on child outcomes, independent of overall maternal and paternal involvement in child's life (Eisenberg et al., 2004;Harrison et al., 2015;Jones, 2018). Specifically, having more frequent mother-only mealtimes in response to the father's higher job/financial dissatisfaction may partially address the negative associations between the father's job/financial dissatisfaction and the child's socioemotional outcomes. ...
Article
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Family mealtimes play an important role in promoting the physical and psychological well-being of children. However, parents’ work-related stress may impact their ability to participate in frequent family mealtimes. In dual-earner families, gendered norms may also influence parents’ shared responsibility to participate in mealtimes with their children. Prior studies have primarily focused on the mother’s role in feeding children, while the father’s participation has been relatively unexplored. We used a sample of dual-earner families consisting of heterosexual married couples with children in the United States who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort to investigate how stressors at work may affect the mother’s and father’s participation in family mealtimes and, in turn, related to the child’s socioemotional development. We tested the associations between the mother’s and father’s work-related stress on the child’s socioemotional competency from age two through preschool (age 4–5). We examined the direct and indirect effects of parents’ work-related stress on child socioemotional competency through their involvement in mealtimes. The results indicate a negative direct association between the mother’s job/financial dissatisfaction and the child’s socioemotional competency. The father’s job dissatisfaction had an adverse impact on children in terms of socioemotional competency, partially explained by the father participating less often in family mealtimes. Fathers’ job/financial dissatisfaction had a negative influence on children’s socioemotional competency, even with an increase in the mothers’ participation in family mealtimes in the absence of the fathers. The findings emphasize the importance of fathers’ involvement in mealtimes above and beyond mothers’ involvement.
... Evidence shows that unhealthy eating behaviours are associated with a wide range of mental health problems such as depression, poor psychosocial well-being and low self-esteem among children and adolescents 5-7 . In contrast, healthy eating behaviours like eating meals with families and eating breakfast and meals regularly are associated with better mental health among children and adolescents 5,8 . Eating behaviours are also associated with diet quality among children and adolescents 9,10 . ...
... Poor diet with insufficient nutrients can compromise body immune functioning among children 38 , resulting in increased risk of poor health, including HRQoL, physical and mental health 1,11 . Eating behaviours such as eating while watching TV, eating meals alone and eating without family may contribute to decreased communications and interactions with family and peers, thus increasing the feelings of loneliness and social isolation 5,7 . Previous studies have also reported possible pathways underlying the relationship between an unhealthy eating pattern and childhood obesity 3 . ...
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Children with unhealthy eating behaviours are more likely to experience poor physical and mental health. Few studies have investigated the importance of eating patterns for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among children. This study aimed to identify common eating patterns, and their associations with HRQoL among Canadian children. Data were collected from 9150 grade five students (aged 10–11 years) in repeat cross-sectional population-based surveys in Alberta, Canada. Students’ eating behaviours were analyzed using latent class analysis to identify the eating patterns. We applied multilevel multivariable logistic regression to examine the association of the eating patterns with HRQoL. We identified three groups of children with distinct eating patterns: eating healthy (52%), less healthy (31%) and unhealthy (17%). The first group had a higher proportion of students engaged in healthy eating behaviours. The unhealthy pattern group (third group) included a higher proportion of students with poor eating behaviours. Students’ eating behaviours in the second group were healthier than the third group but less healthy than the first group. Children with unhealthy and less healthy patterns were more likely to experience lower HRQoL than children with the healthy pattern. Health promotion programs effective in improving healthy eating patterns may not only reduce the risk for chronic diseases in the long term, but also improve the HRQoL in the short term.
... This result is similar to that found in PeNSE 2019, in which adolescents from single-parent households or households without either parent had a higher prevalence of not having meals with parents/ guardians. Eating family meals is associated with a lower likelihood of various risk behaviors during adolescence and with better physical and psychological health 31,32 . In addition, eating family meals has been associated with healthy eating behaviors, such as greater consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products and lower consumption of sweetened beverages, as well as providing moments of socializing and contact between family members 33,34 . ...
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Objective To analyze the association of household composition with risk behaviors in Brazilian adolescents. Methods Cross-sectional study, with a nationally representative sample of Brazilian adolescents (n=159,245) aged 13 to 17, enrolled and regularly attending the 7th to 9th year of elementary school and the 1st to 3rd year of high school, participants in the National Survey of School Health in 2019. The risk behaviors were: insufficient physical activity, sedentary behavior, alcohol consumption, smoking, poorer diet quality, skipping breakfast and not having meals with parents/guardians. In the analyses, the sampling weights and study design were considered, stratified by the type of school (public or private) and estimated using Poisson regression models. Results Adolescents, from public and private schools, who lived in single-parent households or where parents were absent, had a higher prevalence of alcohol consumption, smoking, poorer diet quality, skipping breakfast and not eating meals with parents/guardians, compared to those who lived with both parents. Additionally, adolescents from public schools showed a higher prevalence of sedentary behavior than those from single-parent households. Adolescents from private schools had a higher prevalence of sedentary behavior among those who lived only with their mother and a higher prevalence of insufficient physical activity among those who lived without either parent. Conclusion Brazilian adolescents, from public and private schools, who lived in single-parent households or without parents, showed higher prevalence of risk behaviors. Keywords: Family characteristics; Risk behaviors; Life style; Health survey; Adolescents
... The responses were scored on a 5-point scale ranging from "not at all" to "very much," with higher scores indicating increased connectedness to family and school. The items are reported to have good internal consistency [74,75]. We adapted this questionnaire from the original questionnaire used in a previous study by Loukas and colleagues [75]. ...
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This cross-sectional study aimed to address the association between parental and family characterics as risk factors for emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) and quality of life (QoL), and the potential moderation of these associations by adolescents’personal characteristics. A total of 533 households from Central Kenya with adolescents between 12 to 18 years (median age 15 years) and their mothers (or female caregivers) were included in this study. Adolescents and their mothers completed questionnaires on parent and family risk, adolescent EBPs and QoL), and adolescent personal characteristics. Regression analyses was used to test associations between parent/family factors and adolescent EBP and QoL, while conditional process modelling was used to test for moderation effects using Hayes’ PROCESS model. We found that poor maternal mental health and parental control were associated with both EBP and QoL. The adolescent’s level of connectedness at school and home moderated the relationship between poor maternal mental health and adolescent EBP (p = 0.015). Additionally, adolescents who did not participate in meaningful physical activities and whose mothers had high depression levels had the lowest QoL (p = 0.002). Lastly, the associations of parental control with increased EBP ( = 0.06, p = 0.000) and lowered QoL ( = -0.05, p = 0.000), were not moderated by adolescent personal characteristics. Mental health professionals and other stakeholders should focus on interventions that target these malleable factors to ensure good mental health and better QoL for Kenyan adolescents.
... The literature search focuses on studies published within the last ten years to ensure that findings reflect current knowledge and research trends in chrononutrition and mental health. Articles were selected based on their relevance to three main criteria: (1) studies examining the impact of eating patterns on circadian alignment, (2) research on circadian rhythms in relation to mental health, and (3) investigations into the effects of meal timing and regularity on psychological wellbeing (Eisenberg et al., 2004). ...
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This study investigates the relationship between chrononutrition—timing and patterns of food intake—and mental health, focusing on how circadian rhythms influence psychological well-being. Using a qualitative approach, this literature review synthesizes recent research exploring the connections between eating patterns, biological rhythms, and mental health outcomes, such as anxiety, depression, and overall mood stability. Findings indicate that irregular eating times, late-night meals, and skipping meals disrupt circadian alignment, potentially leading to mood dysregulation and decreased psychological resilience. Conversely, eating in sync with the body’s natural circadian rhythms appears to support mental health, with regular meal timing shown to enhance mood and reduce anxiety symptoms. The review also highlights the importance of specific nutrients in promoting stable circadian cycles, suggesting that diets rich in complex carbohydrates, proteins, and certain vitamins may aid in stabilizing mood. These findings underscore the need for an integrative approach to nutrition and mental health that considers both the timing and composition of meals. This review provides valuable insights into the emerging field of chrononutrition, emphasizing the potential of circadian-aligned eating as a preventive and therapeutic strategy for mental health. Further qualitative studies are recommended to explore individualized chrononutrition interventions and their effects on mental well-being across diverse populations.
... Varied areas of research are related to the findings in the present study about the association of the DTE-derived care of the body factor, addressing social support and guidance regarding care of body practices, with positive embodiment. Examples include the protective role of regular family meals during adolescence on weight-control and substance use (Eisenberg, Olson, Neumark-Sztainer, Story, Bearinger, 2004;Neumark-Sztainer, Eisenberg, Fulkerson, Story, & Larson, 2008) and research on disordered eating patterns in relation to food insecurity (Becker, Middlemass, Taylor, Johnson, & Gomez, 2017). Regarding the DTE-derived freedom of movement factor, while there is little additional research on this factor in relation to embodiment or body image, researchers have started to examine the impact of fear of sexual violations on voluntary restriction of movement in the public sphere and on embodiment . ...
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p>The developmental theory of embodiment (DTE) is a research-based theory of social factors that shape the experience of embodiment, a construct that is strongly correlated with body esteem and body appreciation. The DTE is anchored in prospective and retrospective qualitative research studies with cisgender girls and women of diverse backgrounds. This paper describes the first comprehensive quantitative study of factors in the social environment the DTE delineates as shaping the experience of embodiment involving a cross-sectional design, among 412 cisgender women. The 13 quantitative social factors correlated positively with the Experience of Embodiment Scale and accounted together for over 60% of its score variance. The findings of significant positive correlations between all social factors and of a large shared variance amongst these factors in a simultaneous multiple regression predicting the experience of embodiment are in line with the DTE and with a multi-level model of causality central to public health perspectives, whereby social structures and positions, such as those related to gender, shape multiple lower-level protective and risk factors. Future studies of the theory should include prospective designs with samples of varied backgrounds along different dimensions of social location.</p
... En otros estudios también se han observado correlaciones inversas donde a mayor frecuencia de comidas en familia se presenta un menor consumo de sustancias -por ejemplo, tabaco, alcohol y mariguana-, así como niveles más bajos de síntomas depresivos y suicidio (Eisenberg et al., 2004). ...
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El presente trabajo describe el proyecto y las experiencias exitosas obtenidas dentro del programa Educación a Menores con Maduración Asistida (EMMA) en una de las zonas más vulnerables de Ciudad Juárez. El objetivo de este programa es proporcionar el título de educación secundaria a jóvenes que han dejado la escuela, además de ofrecerles una formación personal con herramientas que les ayuden a salir adelante en sus vidas y así evitar que se involucren con pandillas o que terminen en trabajos de paga baja por la falta de estudios. El programa comenzó en una sola sede y actualmente cuenta con diez debido al éxito logrado en cambiar las vidas de las personas que han sido parte de él. En este libro se explica su estructura y también varios casos de éxito en donde participantes reportan que si no hubiera sido por este programa es muy probable que estuvieran realizando actividades criminales. Estudiantes que han pasado por EMMA han terminado no solo la secundaria, también la preparatoria y carreras técnicas e inclusive universitarias.
... In this case, improved parent-child communication may contribute to improved overall mental health. Adolescents who have frequent family meals are less likely to engage in risky behavior such as suicidal thoughts, binge drinking, use of marijuana, smoking, and unsafe sex (Eisenberg et al., 2004;Utter et al., 2013). Therefore, the family meal emerges not merely as a routine gathering but as a way that nurtures adolescent development and mitigate the stress when confronting the challenges, thus underscoring the importance familial engagement in shaping the emerging adult. ...
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The mental well-being and dietary habits of adolescents have gained considerable attention over the past decades. The focus of most of the previous research has centered on the impact of specific food types and family meal frequency on mental health. However, the relationship between how often families eat together and other varied eating habits on the psychological well-being of young people remains under-researched. To address this, a survey was conducted among a large sample of students from Chinese elementary to high schools (N = 374,487). The study classified eating arrangement into three categories: only with family members, a combination of eating with family and other situations, and not eating with family at all. Findings indicate that regular meals with family correlate with a decrease in depressive symptoms and an increase in life satisfaction and positive mental health. This study also tested grade and gender differences. The highest grade range (10th -12th grade) showed the least impact on their mental health, which may be attributed to maturation and shifts in social relationships. The findings also suggest that the influence of eating arrangements on mental health was more pronounced among girls than boys, although this effect was relatively mild.
... Food sharing across others has likely evolved from sharing with offspring and partners to support coalitions and mate choice (Jaeggi & Van Schaik, 2011). The benefits of shared meals in the family after childhood are also present today, as eating together with the family is associated with better behavior and mental health as well as less substance abuse and suicidality in teenagers (Eisenberg et al., 2004(Eisenberg et al., , 2008Meier, n.d.). ...
Preprint
Eating is inherently social for humans. Yet, most neuroimaging studies of appetite and food-induced reward have focused on studying brain responses to food intake or viewing pictures of food alone. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure haemodynamic responses to "vicarious" feeding. The subjects (n=97) viewed a series of short videos representing naturalistic episodes of social eating intermixed with videos without feeding/appetite-related content. Viewing the vicarious feeding (versus control) videos activated motor and premotor cortices, thalamus, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, consistent with somatomotor and affective engagement. Responses to the feeding videos were also downregulated as a function of the participants BMI. Taken together, seeing others eating engages the corresponding motor and affective programs in the viewers brains, potentially increasing appetite and promoting mutual feeding.
... Food serves as a means of socialization and, as such, can contribute to consumer wellbeing. Research shows that young people who regularly eat with their families have lower depression symptoms and suicide rates, which are indicators of negative mental health (Eisenberg et al., 2004). Similarly, a study found that children who rarely have breakfast with their families or eat alone on weekends have higher mental health problems compared to those who have breakfast with their families daily (Kameyama et al., 2021). ...
Chapter
Consumer behavior is influenced by a variety of factors that significantly impact their well-being. One such factor is the natural environment, which plays a crucial role in shaping consumer experiences. Consumers are an integral part of the natural environment and rely on it for their basic needs. The quality of the natural environment not only affects consumers’ physical health but also contributes to their emotional and mental well-being. Therefore, the natural environment is not just necessary for survival; it also plays a vital role in fostering a sense of well-being. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the existing empirical literature on the impact of natural environmental factors on consumer well-being by exploring various aspects of the natural environment, including green spaces, biodiversity, climate, air and water quality, plant-based diet, and food well-being. Additionally, this chapter delves into the examination of the circular economy, sustainability, and related psychological constructs such as pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors, nature relatedness, and ecotherapy, in order to shed light on their contribution to enhancing consumer well-being. Finally, the chapter concludes by offering policy recommendations aimed at improving consumer well-being by addressing natural environmental and related issues.
... The mean time in which the participants had dinner with the whole family per week in urban and non-urban areas is also 4.85 and 4.99, respectively. Co-eating food with family is thought to impact children's lifestyle, health and happiness positively [99][100][101][102]. Moreover, the mean time for family food shopping per week in urban and non-urban areas is also 1.56 and 1.75, respectively. ...
Article
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Intergenerational exchange plays an increasing role in realizing sustainable societies. Question-answer exchanges are the trigger for individuals to initiate some intergenerational relations, and the literature has established that inquisitiveness (curiosity about something and someone different) contributes to people’s generativity and happiness. However, little is known about how children’s inquisitiveness influences their generative concern and happiness. We claim that inquisitiveness is essential for children to enhance their happiness and hypothesize that those who receive a positive response from adults tend to be inquisitive and express the signs of generativity. To empirically examine the hypothesis, we have statistically characterized inquisitiveness in relation to adult-child interaction, generativity (offering care for people and the natural environment) and happiness, using the data from a survey of 511 Japanese children between 9 and 14 years and by applying the revised generativity concern scale (GCS-R). The results show that inquisitiveness correlates with generativity and happiness, primarily that a positive response by adults to children’s inquiries promotes their inquisitiveness through adult-child interactions. Our analysis shows that children’s inquisitiveness, encouraged by adults’ positive responses, is more significant in happiness than the generativity concern during childhood. Overall, the results suggest that adults responding positively to children’s questions is essential for promoting inquisitiveness and increasing happiness.
... Family gatherings often foster a supportive environment that encourages each other to prioritize health and boost the immune system, thereby alleviating feelings of isolation and depression. These results confirm earlier research demonstrating that family/shared meal routines foster emotional well-being because of the opportunities they offer for interpersonal connections, safety and predictability, and communication and sharing of ideas and feelings [52][53][54][55][56][57]. ...
Article
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Background The COVID-19 lockdown significantly impacted dietary habits and body weights globally, particularly in Egypt, where 57.03% of the population resides in rural areas, despite lack of information. The study examines the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the weight changes of the rural Egyptian population through behavioral, physical, and dietary changes. Methods A cross-sectional online survey using Microsoft Forms was distributed in Delta regions in Egypt. The questionnaire used a modified version of the validated 14- items PREDIMED MedDiet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). The first part of the questionnaire addressed sociodemographic variables whereas the second one included questions related to dietary, behavioral and weight changes of participants. These changes were statistically tested for significance in relation to BMI, gender, home living, current job and family history of obesity. Results A total of 306 participated in the study (70% females, 13% obese, 95% living with family, 56% university students, and 36% with family history of obesity). Obese showed a significant increase in sweet intake whereas underweight and normal weight people displayed a significant decrease in eating desire. Both females and males showed significant increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables with significant decrease in soft drink. However, women showed a significant decrease in sport activity relative to men. Participants living with family showed an increase in sweet intake while those living alone explored an increase in meal frequency. Employers revealed a significant decrease in sport activities and people with family history of obesity reported more sleeping times than those without family history of obesity. Conclusion During Covid-19 quarantine, Egyptians’ eating habits improved, but daily routines were disrupted. Raising awareness about obesity and providing guidance on maintaining activity, energy, and mood is crucial for future quarantine situations.
... According to certain studies, home-cooked meals may positively impact children's health, mental and social development, and family ties [3]. For instance, evidence suggests that having family meals together can help adolescents with their self-esteem, academic performance, and substance misuse prevention [4]. However, there needs to be a current evidence review on the positive effects of homecooked meals on family connections, health outcomes, social variables, or the quality of one's diet or meal patterns. ...
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Background This study investigates the complex interaction between individuals’ culinary tastes, at-home dining habits, and their broader impact on general well-being and relationships dynamics. An all-encompassing tool for assessing the impact of dietary choices on emotions of coziness, social interaction, and general wellness, the multi-dimensional Culinary Comfort and Connection Index (CCCI) focuses on traditional home-cooked meals in particular. Methods We used an online-based survey to validate the CCCI. With a Cronbach alpha of 0.844, this scale is reliable and valid. It covers a wide range of aspects including self-care advocacy, traditional values, and a preference for handmade food. We performed descriptive and stratified analyses and tested correlations. A significance level of 0.05 was chosen. We used Pearson Chi-Square and Likelihood Ratio tests. Results The CCCI shows complicated patterns when analyzed with respect to gender, education level, and family income that demonstrate the myriad of factors impacting people’s views on food and its relationship to health. While some patterns do emerge, the results imply that dietary choices do not necessarily correlate with overall health. Conclusions The research highlights the complex interaction between cultural, societal, and personal elements in determining perspectives on nutrition and health by drawing on theoretical models like Bronfenbrenner’s Societal-Ecological Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior.
... Family gatherings often foster a supportive environment that encourages each other to prioritize health and boost the immune system, thereby alleviating feelings of isolation and depression. These results con rm earlier research demonstrating that family/shared meal routines foster emotional well-being because of the opportunities they offer for interpersonal connections, safety and predictability, and communication and sharing of ideas and feelings [50][51][52][53][54][55]. ...
Preprint
Full-text available
Background: The COVID-19 lockdown significantly impacted dietary habits and body weights globally, particularly in Egypt, where 57.03% of the population resides in rural areas, despite lack of information. The study examines the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the weight changes of the rural Egyptian population through behavioral, physical, and dietary changes. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey using Microsoft Forms was distributed in Delta regions in Egypt. The questionnaire used a modified version of the validated 14- items PREDIMED MedDiet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). The first part of the questionnaire addressed sociodemographic variables whereas the second one included questions related to dietary, behavioral and weight changes of participants. These changes were statistically tested for significance in relation to BMI, gender, home living, current job and family history of obesity. Results: A total of 306 participated in the study (70% females, 13% obese, 95% living with family, 56% university students, and 36% with family history of obesity). Obese showed a significant increase in sweet intake whereas underweight and normal weight people displayed a significant decrease in eating desire. Both females and males showed significant increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables with significant decrease in soft drink. However, women showed a significant decrease in sport activity relative to men. Participants living with family showed an increase in sweet intake while those living alone explored an increase in meal frequency. Employers revealed a significant decrease in sport activities and people with family history of obesity reported more sleeping times than those without family history of obesity. Conclusion: During Covid-19 quarantine, Egyptians' eating habits improved, but daily routines were disrupted. Raising awareness about obesity and providing guidance on maintaining activity, energy, and mood is crucial for future quarantine situations.
... They could also encourage healthier food choices through direct observation and active participation in balanced meal preparation, modeling healthy eating behaviors [38]. Furthermore, these shared meals could act as a space for open communication, providing an opportunity to express concerns and reinforce positive feedback regarding eating habits, which can be especially beneficial during the adolescent years [47], as this period involves significant changes and the acquisition of habits that may persist into the future [38]. Moreover, the communal aspect of eating can foster mindfulness and attunement to internal cues of hunger and satiety, essential elements for cultivating a healthy relationship with food [48]. ...
Article
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Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the association of family meals and social eating behavior with disordered eating behavior in Spanish adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that included 706 adolescents (43.9% boys) from the Eating Habits and Daily Life Activities (EHDLA) study (aged 12 to 17) from Valle de Ricote, Region of Murcia, Spain. The frequency of family meals was assessed by asking participants to report how often their family, or most household members, had shared meals in the past week. Social eating behavior was evaluated using three statements: “I enjoy sitting down with family or friends for a meal”, “Having at least one meal a day with others (family or friends) is important to me”, and “I usually have dinner with others”. To evaluate disordered eating, two psychologists administered the Sick, Control, One, Fat and Food (SCOFF) questionnaire. Results: After adjusting for several covariates, for each additional family meal, the likelihood of having disordered eating behavior was lower (odds ratio (OR) = 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93 to 0.9997, p = 0.049). On the other hand, a lower likelihood of having disordered eating behavior was observed for each additional point in the social eating behavior scale (OR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.77 to 0.93, p = 0.001). The likelihood of having disordered eating behavior was 0.7% lower for each additional family meal (95% CI 0.01% to 1.4%, p = 0.046). Furthermore, for each additional point in the social eating behavior scale, a lower probability of having disordered eating behavior was observed (3.2%; 95% CI 1.4% to 5.0%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: While disordered eating behavior is complex and can be shaped by various factors, both family meals and social eating behavior emerge as significant factors inversely associated with this condition among adolescents. Promoting regular engagement in family meals and fostering positive social eating experiences could serve as effective strategies in public health initiatives aimed at mitigating the incidence of disordered eating behavior among the young population.
... It could therefore have been not only a marker of a regular/healthy eating but also of overall stability within the family environment. Regular family meals may be associated with greater connectedness and communication within the family, [35][36][37][38] which is associated with better youth mental health outcomes, 39 which in turn may affect headache frequency. Similarly to our findings, a cross-sectional study in 1,619 students (12-18 years) previously reported that headaches were significantly more frequent in those who did not have breakfast. ...
Article
Background and objectives: Lifestyle behaviors have been postulated to affect headache frequency in youth and are often the primary target of self-management recommendations. Our study aimed to assess the association between various lifestyle factors and frequent recurrent headaches in children and youth. Methods: Children and adolescents aged 5-17 years were enrolled in a large cross-sectional Canadian population-based health survey, completed on January 31, 2019. Headache frequency was dichotomized into "approximately once/week or less" or ">once/week" (defined as frequent recurrent headaches). The association between frequent headaches and meal schedules, screen exposure, physical activity, chronotype, and frequent substance use/exposure (alcohol, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and cannabis) was assessed using both unadjusted logistic regression models and models adjusted for age/sex. Fully adjusted models examined the odds of frequent headaches according to all exposures. Survey design effects were accounted for using bootstrap replicate weighting. Results: There were an estimated nweighted = 4,978,370 eligible participants in the population. The mean age was 10.9 years (95% CI 10.9-11.0); 48.8% were female; 6.1% had frequent headaches. Frequent headaches were associated with older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31, 95% CI 1.28-1.34, p < 0.001) and female sex (OR = 2.39, 95% CI 2.08-2.75, p < 0.001). In models adjusted for age/sex, the odds of frequent headaches decreased with meal regularity (adjusted OR [aOR] = 0.90, 95% CI 0.89-0.92, p < 0.001) and increased with later chronotype (aOR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.05-1.15, p < 0.001) and excess screen exposure (≥21 hours vs none in past week: aOR = 2.97, 95% CI 1.53-5.77, p = 0.001); there was no significant association with reported physical activity (aOR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.67-1.34, p = 0.77). In 12- to 17-year-olds, frequent headaches were associated with frequent alcohol use (≥1/wk vs never: aOR = 3.50, 95% CI 2.18-5.62, p < 0.001), binge drinking (≥5 times in past month vs never: aOR = 5.52, 95% CI 2.95-10.32, p < 0.001), smoking cigarettes (daily vs never: aOR = 3.81, 95% CI 1.91-7.62, p < 0.001), using e-cigarettes (daily vs never: aOR = 3.10, 95% CI 2.29-4.20, p < 0.001), and cannabis use (daily vs never: aOR = 3.59, 95% CI 2.0-6.45, p < 0.001). In the entire sample, daily exposure to smoking inside the house was associated with frequent headaches (aOR = 2.00, 95% CI 1.23-3.27, p = 0.005). Discussion: Several lifestyle behaviors were associated with frequent headaches in children and youth, such as meal irregularity, late chronotype, prolonged screen exposure, and frequent substance use/exposure, suggesting that these are potential modifiable risk factors to target in this population.
... Furthermore, the frequency of family meals is negatively associated with substance abuse, sexual activity, depression or suicide, antisocial behavior, violence, school problems, eating disorders, and alcohol abuse (Fisher et al., 2007;Fulkerson et al., 2006;Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2008). Increased frequency of family meals has a positive effect on adolescent grade point averages, academic commitment, positive values, social competence, and positive mindsets (Eisenberg et al., 2004;Fulkerson et al., 2006;Victoria-Montesinos et al., 2023). Many studies have found that the nutritional quality of food eaten out is lower than that of food consumed at home (Binkley, 2006;Auchincloss et al., 2014;Nguyen and Powell, 2014). ...
Article
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Owing to the different roles of men and women in the family, women may affect family welfare differently than men. Existing research only analyzes the impact of non-farm employment or male non-farm employment on family welfare, and the impact of female non-farm employment on the family has not been addressed in existing studies. China is a particularly interesting case given its rapid economic development and rising rates of female non-farm employment. We used data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey to analyze the dietary patterns of family members and identify the factors that influence food choices and nutrient intake. The results showed that female non-farm employment reduced household protein and calorie intake levels and increased the frequency of dining out among rural household members.
... Cooking a homemade meal is considered to positively influence an individual's own food intake and meal practices, as well as those of the whole family [5,6]. Family meals are associated with healthy diet quality [7], as well as with improved psychosocial outcomes in children and adolescents (i.e., reduced risk behaviors and less depressive symptoms) [8,9]. Parents consider some key characteristics important for defining a family meal: the dinner is homemade, it is prepared by the main caregivers, it is eaten at home at a table/counter, most of the family is gathered, and a conversation free of distractions is occurring [10]. ...
Article
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Background Cooking and consuming a homemade meal is associated with health benefits. Home-delivered meal boxes can support families in cooking this fresh meal. The current study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the determinants of meal box use, and of the perceived impact on meal practices of parents with younger (i.e., aged 6–12 years) and older children (i.e., 13–18 years). Methods Four focus groups were conducted (n = 19); two with parents of younger children, and two with parents of older children. A semi-structured interview guide was developed and interviews were recorded and transcribed. Reflexive thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 1.4. Results Most parents mentioned practical reasons like saving time and money, as well as inspiration, as reasons to choose a home-delivered meal box. Also, tastiness and menu variation were often mentioned as determining factors by both parent groups. However, a few parents stated to stop using the meal boxes because of returning menus or too small portion sizes. Meal box providers were chosen based on the price, the freshness and the quality of the products. Moreover, positive effects on parents’ perceived cooking skills and knowledge were reported. Also, some parents mentioned positively changed attitudes towards vegetarian dishes. Lastly, parents reported healthier eating due to more appropriate portion sizes and more vegetables. A prominent difference between parent groups was that older children played a role in continuing the use of meal boxes, and helped to prepare the meals (contrary to younger children). Conclusions Home-delivered meal boxes might be promising to enhance families’ meal practices. This study could inform social marketeers and health promotors to adopt an optimal strategy to reach families.
... Within the family context, it is crucial to instil proper eating habits, make informed food choices, and maintain the frequency and regularity of family meals. These factors positively influence the eating behaviours of children and adolescents [29,30] and are inversely related to the prevalence of being overweight [31,32]. Eating meals with family is associated with the development of healthy eating patterns and improved diet quality [33][34][35][36]. ...
Article
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The family environment plays a crucial role in creating the health behaviours of children and youth. This study aimed to explore the attitudes of parents with children aged 7–12 who represent an influential environment for creating the eating behaviours of children. A qualitative study was conducted using focus-group interviews (FGI) involving 101 parents from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Three categories of parents were identified based on their level of involvement and awareness of nutrition: ‘aware’, ‘determined’, and ‘relaxed’. Among parents of 10–12-year-old students, an additional category, ‘distanced’ parents, was identified. The study revealed that parents require support in terms of providing compelling arguments and practical recommendations related to meals and reducing or eliminating their children’s consumption of sweets, snacks, fast food, and, in the case of older students, energy drinks. Parents reported that their children had a moderate understanding of the principles of proper nutrition. The majority of respondents viewed this knowledge as primarily theoretical and expressed a need for practical guidance and activities, which they believe should be offered by schools. To achieve positive outcomes in educational activities related to food and nutrition, it is essential to involve children, parents, guardians, teachers, and other school staff in these efforts.
... Previous studies on the association between family meals and smoking have predominantly focused on adolescents, both domestically and internationally. Cohort studies conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in the United States and studies on Minnesota adolescents indicated that dining with family members increases the sense of kinship within the family and ultimately inhibits smoking behavior through the structure and flow of family dynamics [21][22][23]. Moreover, based on data like the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth in the U.S., studies have analyzed the correlation between the frequency of family meals among adolescents and smoking [24]. ...
Article
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Background Smoking is a major risk factor that significantly affects public health. Although the South Korean government spends significant money on smoking cessation services, the smoking rate remains stagnant. Families influence health-conscious decisions, and family meals can positively affect smoking suppression and health behaviors. Therefore, this study investigated whether family meals are correlated with adults’ smoking behaviors. Methods This study used data from the 2019–2021 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Having a meal together with family was defined as “yes” for those who have at least one meal with their family each day and “no” for those who do not. Current smoking status was classified as having smoked at least 5 packs of cigarettes (100 cigarettes) in one’s lifetime and having used either conventional cigarettes or e-cigarettes in the last 30 days. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between eating together, smoking, and weight application. Results When comparing the group that ate with their family compared to the group that did not, the odds ratio for current smoking status was 1.27 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–1.54) for male participants and 1.90 (95% CI: 1.33–2.71) for female participants. This showed a dose-dependent effect according to the frequency of family meals. Those who smoked conventional cigarettes had a strong association (men: OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.00–1.67; women: OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.42–3.46). However, those who only vaped e-cigarettes or used both conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes had no statistically significant correlations. Conclusion This study provides evidence suggesting that eating meals as a family is related to smoking behavior and can positively affect smoking cessation intentions in adults. Consequently, a smoking cessation program can be developed that uses social support, such as encouraging family meals.
... It will help to strengthen healthy food habits among adolescents. A core factor in developing healthy eating habits among adolescents was discovered to be the family environment and their parents (Eisenberg, Olson, Neumark-Sztainer, Story & Bearinger, 2004;Woodriff & Hanning, 2008;Chopra et al., 2021). The research was done in various developed countries like the United States (Neumark-Sztainer, Story, Ackard, Moe & Perry,2000) and New Zealand (Utter, Scragg, Schaaf & Mhurchu, 2008) indicated that 30 to 42 per cent of adolescents take at least one family meal a day at home. ...
Article
There are approximately 253 million adolescents in India, and their nutritional needs are high. Consumption of fast food, high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar, is high among adolescents. Considering the lack of information on the knowledge and practices related to eating patterns among adolescents in India, this paper reports the practice, perception, and knowledge about healthy and unhealthy eating habits of this segment of its population in urban and peri-urban communities. Qualitative data were collected during the formative stage of an intervention study. Fifty in-depth interviews and eight focus group discussions were conducted in two communities in Delhi, the national capital of India (28º 36’ 36” N & 77º 13’ 48” E). For data analysis, a deductive approach was adopted, and a thematic content analysis was performed. Practices, perception and knowledge, and seeking information were the themes that emerged, and it was verified that low income is a limiting factor for acquisition at the family level. Cleanliness, hygiene, and taste are the factors when choosing the preparation of food. Strong perceptions about certain foods were observed: parents showed helplessness concerning the consumption of outside food by their children. Food bought in a restaurant is better and not as harmful, and adolescents prefer the taste to health. Preferences for healthy foods and the acceptance of food from large restaurants, and the preference for their tastes, have emerged as factors influencing adolescents' eating practices. In addition, the research revealed awareness and knowledge about healthy and unhealthy food among female adolescents and community members residing in low-socioeconomic status urban and peri-urban communities of Delhi. Several factors were found to influence the eating habits of Delhi female adolescents, such as taste, nutrition-related awareness, and self-efficacy (at the individual level), as well as parental and peer pressure (at the societal level). Nevertheless some methodological limitations, this study suggests behaviour change interventions among adolescents using the findings of the current study.
... Increased work-family strains have been related to lower involvement in childcare activities, such as preparing meals [38] or educational and leisure activities [39,40]. Also, greater working hours and more stressful work conditions are often related to greater workfamily strains, which in turn is related to lower father involvement [3,41,42], namely in play and in the availability to be accessible to child requests [41,43]. ...
Article
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The balance between work and family demands is one of the main challenges of contemporary parenting. However, most of the research has focused on mothers’ perspectives, with fathers’ perspectives about the links between work–family activities and father involvement, as well as the role of indirect effects, such as parenting styles, being less explored. This study aims to bridge these gaps by exploring whether work strains or gains are related to father involvement in childcare and the mediating role of parental styles, focusing on fathers’ reports. Working, married fathers of preschoolers (n = 411) self-reported about work strains and gains, parental styles, and father involvement. Structural equation modeling, using maximum-likelihood estimation, provided good fit indices. Results of the bootstrap analysis revealed how fathers’ gains indirectly increased involvement both in direct and indirect care through positive parental styles. Otherwise, fathers’ strains at work had a negative indirect effect on direct care through negative parental styles. Findings contribute to work–family interface by showing how parental styles account for mediating environmental challenges on father involvement.
... Following development, the FDI was assessed for concurrent criterion validity by estimating the Pearson correlation between the FDI scores and frequency, the current, pervasively used measure of family dinners. Family dinner frequency was selected as the criterion (DeVellis and Thorpe, 2021;Eisenberg et al., 2004). Using multivariable logbinomial regression models, we examined the relationships between FDI scores (dichotomized at the median split for the children and the parents separately) and each of the outcome variables, which included topics of substance use, violence, weight perception, weight control intention, and health indicators. ...
Article
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There is a strong association between family meals and child and adolescent health. To systematically understand the associations between family meals with a variety of health and risk outcomes, we developed and conducted a validation study of child- and parent-versions of the Family Dinner Index (FDI; FDI-C/FDI-P). We validated the measures with a national sample of 2,090 parent-child dyads. Using factor analysis, we reduced the initial FDIs each to eight items representing communication, enjoyment, and digital distractions; the FDI-C also included meal logistics and the FDI-P, family bonding. Using multivariable log-binomial regression models, we examined the relationships between FDI scores and substance use, violence, weight perception, weight control intention, and health indicators. Children who scored ≥21 on the FDI-C had a significantly lower average prevalence of a 'negative outcome' composite, as well as a lower prevalence of each of the individual behaviors. Children of parents who scored ≥24 on the FDI-P had a significantly lower average prevalence of the 'negative outcome' composite, as well as a lower prevalence of substance use indicators, negative weight perception and intentions to lose weight, less than daily fruit and vegetable consumption, and not meeting guidelines for physical activity. The FDI measures provide support for face and content validity, as well as concurrent criterion validity and construct validity. Further validation with these measures using a longitudinal design will allow for the establishment of predictive validity. Currently, the FDI measures may help researchers and practitioners identify points of emphasis for tailoring family-based prevention programs accordingly.
... Modern mealtimes may be more likely to involve people eating alone, irregularly, at a restaurant, or consuming fast takeaway food [21]. Cognisant of the variable forms that meal times take, there is a range of evidence supporting the value of family meals for children and families [20,[22][23][24]. Te impact of a child's restricted eating extends beyond the family meal and may afect participation in social events and celebrations [4,25,26]. ...
Article
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This scoping review explored the interventions available for children with disabilities who are restricted eaters. The review will further identify aspects of parent coaching within these interventions. Initial journal searches were completed in July 2020 and updated in July 2022 with 13 articles included in the final review, which were thematically analysed. Three major themes were identified as follows: (1) a wide range of interventions ranging from nonresponsive practices to responsive approaches to mealtimes, (2) meaningful outcomes, and (3) varying degrees of parent involvement. No articles stated they were using parent coaching as a stand-alone intervention; however, features of parent coaching were evident in some of the studies. There is no overarching framework incorporating explicit aspects of coaching approaches to support clinicians’ work with children with restricted eating and their families.
... It will help to strengthen healthy food habits among adolescents. A core factor in developing healthy eating habits among adolescents was discovered to be the family environment and their parents (Eisenberg, Olson, Neumark-Sztainer, Story & Bearinger, 2004;Woodriff & Hanning, 2008;Chopra et al., 2021). The research was done in various developed countries like the United States (Neumark-Sztainer, Story, Ackard, Moe & Perry,2000) and New Zealand (Utter, Scragg, Schaaf & Mhurchu, 2008) indicated that 30 to 42 per cent of adolescents take at least one family meal a day at home. ...
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There are approximately 253 million adolescents in India, and their nutritional needs are high. Consumption of fast food, high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar, is high among adolescents. Considering the lack of information on the knowledge and practices related to eating patterns among adolescents in India, this paper reports the practice, perception, and knowledge about healthy and unhealthy eating habits of this segment of its population in urban and peri-urban communities. Qualitative data were collected during the formative stage of an intervention study. Fifty in-depth interviews and eight focus group discussions were conducted in two communities in Delhi, the national capital of India (28º 36’ 36" N; 77º 13’48" E). For data analysis, a deductive approach was adopted, and a thematic content analysis was performed. Practices, perception and knowledge, and seeking information were the themes that emerged, and it was verified that low income is a limiting factor for acquisition at the family level. Cleanliness, hygiene, and taste are the factors when choosing the preparation of food. Strong perceptions about certain foods were observed: parents showed helplessness concerning the consumption of outside food by their children. Food bought in a restaurant is better and not as harmful, and adolescents prefer the taste to health. Preferences for healthy foods and the acceptance of food from large restaurants, and the preference for their tastes, have emerged as factors influencing adolescents’ eating practices. In addition, the research revealed awareness and knowledge about healthy and unhealthy food among female adolescents and community members residing in low-socioeconomic status urban and peri-urban communities of Delhi. Several factors were found to influence the eating habits of Delhi female adolescents, such as taste, nutrition-related awareness, and self-efficacy (at the individual level), as well as parental and peer pressure (at the societal level). Nevertheless some methodological limitations, this study suggests behaviour change interventions among adolescents using the findings of the current study. Key words: Food habits, dietary behavior, perception, adolescence, nutrition, qualitative research, Delhi, India
... La literatura académica sugiere que las familias que comen juntas tienen muchos resultados positivos tanto a nivel psicológico, social o cognitivo. Por ejemplo, aunque las cenas en familia parecen estar en regresión (Fischler, 2011) contribuyen a unos comportamientos alimentarios más sanos, así como a una mayor cohesión familiar, una mayor autorregulación de los niños y niñas y hasta más preparación financiera para el día de mañana, entre otros (Chatterjee, Palmer y Goetz, 2012;Eisenberg, Olson, Neumark-Sztainer, Story y Bearinger, 2004;Taverns et al., 2005). Por esta razón, y sabiendo que el uso de los teléfonos móviles tiene un impacto directo en las relaciones padres-hijos, nos interesa comprender la relación entre el uso de WhatsApp de los padres y madres precisamente mientras cenan y el uso problemático de sus hijos, emergiendo así, la segunda pregunta que ha guiado este trabajo: ¿Hasta qué punto hay una relación entre el uso de WhatsApp de los progenitores mientras cenan y el uso problemático de WhatsApp de sus hijos? ...
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The goal of this study is to understand the relationship between the problematic use of WhatsApp among young adolescents and parental mediation. The rise of mobile phone use among young people is a cause for concern, especially among parents themselves. The literature suggests that parents have a certain amount of room for maneuver through different parental strategies (parental mediation) to maximize the benefits of technology and reduce its possible risks, although this has not been sufficiently analyzed in the case of problematic use of the mobile phone and its applications. This study therefore examined three different parental mediation strategies (restrictive, modeling and stimulation) and their possible impact on the problematic use of WhatsApp. The sample comprised 1,144 13-and 14-year-old students during three academic years (2015-2018) in 17 schools in 7 Spanish provinces. One of the novelties of the study was the use of adolescent voices to understand the parental mediation of their parents. The results showed a direct relationship between the level of restrictive mediation and a problematic use of WhatsApp. In addition, the number of mobile phones that students have enjoyed, as well as whether parents use their mobile phone during dinner, also has a positive relationship with the problematic use of WhatsApp. These results are useful for understanding a responsible use of the mobile phone, as well as to guide parents about the problematic use of WhatsApp among adolescents. El objetivo del presente estudio es comprender la relación entre el uso problemático del WhatsApp entre jóvenes adolescentes y la mediación parental. El auge del uso del teléfono móvil entre los jóvenes es motivo de preocupación, especialmente entre los propios padres y madres. La literatura sugiere que los progenitores disponen de cierto margen de maniobra a partir de distintas estrategias parentales (mediación parental) para maximizar los beneficios de la tecnología, y reducir sus posibles riesgos, sin ser suficientemente analizadas en el caso del uso problemático del móvil y sus aplicaciones. Por este motivo, este estudio examina tres distintas estrategias de mediación parental (restrictiva, modelado y estimulación) y su posible impacto en el uso problemático del WhatsApp. Para ello, se empleó una muestra de 1.144 estudiantes de 13 y 14 años durante tres cursos académicos (2015-2018) en 17 colegios de 7 provincias españolas. Una de las novedades del estudio es el uso de las voces de los adolescentes para comprender la mediación parental de sus padres. Los resultados muestran una relación entre el nivel de mediación restrictiva y un uso problemático de WhatsApp. Además, el número de móviles que han gozado los estudiantes, así como si los padres cenan con el móvil durante la cena también tiene una relación positiva con el uso problemático de WhatsApp. Estos resultados son útiles para entender un uso responsable del teléfono móvil, así como para orientar a padres sobre el uso problemático de WhatsApp entre adolescentes. Palabras clave: Uso problemático; WhatsApp; teléfono móvil; mediación parental; adolescencia.
... The literature suggests that families who eat together have many positive psychological, social, or developmental outcomes. For example, although family dinners seem to be declining (Fischler, 2011), they contribute to healthier eating behaviours, as well as greater family cohesion, greater self-regulation of children, among others, and even better financial preparation for the following day (Chatterjee, Palmer & Goetz, 2012;Eisenberg, Olson, Neumark-Sztainer, Story & Bearinger, 2004;Taverns et al., 2005). For this reason, and aware of the direct impact the use of mobile phones has on parent-child relationships, we were interested in understanding the relationship between parental use of WhatsApp precisely during dinner and its problematic use by their children, giving rise to the second question guiding this research: To what extent is there a relationship between parents' use of WhatsApp at dinner and their children's problematic WhatsApp use? ...
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The goal of this study is to understand the relationship between the problematic use of WhatsApp among young adolescents and parental mediation. The rise of mobile phone use among young people is a cause for concern, especially among parents themselves. The literature suggests that parents have a certain amount of room for maneuver through different parental strategies (parental mediation) to maximize the benefits of technology and reduce its possible risks, although this has not been sufficiently analyzed in the case of problematic use of the mobile phone and its applications. This study therefore examined three different parental mediation strategies (restrictive, modeling and stimulation) and their possible impact on the problematic use of WhatsApp. The sample comprised 1,144 13- and 14-year-old students during three academic years (2015-2018) in 17 schools in 7 Spanish provinces. One of the novelties of the study was the use of adolescent voices to understand the parental mediation of their parents. The results showed a direct relationship between the level of restrictive mediation and a problematic use of WhatsApp. In addition, the number of mobile phones that students have enjoyed, as well as whether parents use their mobile phone during dinner, also has a positive relationship with the problematic use of WhatsApp. These results are useful for understanding a responsible use of the mobile phone, as well as to guide parents about the problematic use of WhatsApp among adolescents.
... Although we observed that family meals were inversely related to depressive symptoms, this association was not significant. This result is not in line with previous studies in the scientific literature [18,19,36]. However, it is necessary to emphasize that family meals are not necessarily the same as enjoying when eating with company (i.e., family, friends). ...
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Objective This study examined the association between family meals and social eating behaviour with depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among Spanish adolescents. Methods This was a cross-sectional study with data obtained from a representative sample of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years from Valle de Ricote, Murcia, Spain. Emotional symptomatology was evaluated with the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. The frequency of family meals and social eating behaviour were self-reported. Results Each additional point in social eating behaviour decreased the probability of having a higher number of depressive (OR=0.83; 95%CI, 0.75−0.92), anxiety (OR=0.88; 95%CI, 0.80−0.97) and stress (OR=0.90; 95%CI, 0.82−0.99) symptoms. Conclusions Higher social eating behaviour was associated with lower probabilities of higher number of depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms.
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Parent-child conversations are impacted by environmental setting. Yet, few studies have considered where mothers and early adolescent youth prefer to have conversations about daily stressors. This study examines where mothers and youth prefer to have conversations about daily stressors, differences in preference based on demographic variables, and why certain environmental settings are preferred. One hundred youth ( M = 11.04, 53% boys) and their mothers participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings showed that youth preferred to communicate in their bedroom, the kitchen, and the living room, whereas mothers preferred the kitchen, their child’s bedroom, and the car. Using thematic analysis, we found that participants preferred communicating in physically and psychologically comfortable environments, private locations that were away from others, and that they relied on bedtime and mealtime routines to engage in regular conversations. Findings suggest that the place mothers and youth converse matters and may meaningfully impact parent-child conversations about daily stressors.
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Family rituals and routines are associated with family dynamics and children’s well-being. However, no study examines the specific family ritual and routine settings related to family functioning and student well-being. This study explores the association of family rituals and routine settings- such as dinnertime, weekends, and annual celebrations—on family functioning and student well-being. Likewise, it investigates whether family functioning mediates the association between family rituals and student well-being. This non-experimental quantitative research involved 622 undergraduate students from Thailand, Vietnam, India, and the Philippines with 71 percent female, and 29 percent male participants. The participants completed an online survey that included the Family Ritual Questionnaire, McMaster Family Functioning Scale, and the Student Well-being Scale (Five-Factor). Path analysis was conducted using the PROCESS module within the SMART-PLS environment to examine the proposed model. Results indicate that weekends and annual celebrations are positively associated with overall student wellbeing, whereas dinnertime is not. However, dinnertime, weekends, and annual celebrations are positively associated with family functioning. Family functioning served as a mediating factor for the positive associations of all three settings on student well-being, controlling for the effects of gender and country differences. Additionally, the study found variations in well-being across countries and variations in family functioning by gender and by country. These results emphasize the importance of fostering and maintaining family rituals and routines to enhance overall family dynamics and student well-being within Asian contexts.
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Objective We examined how working mothers, who often juggle paid work and family meal preparation, manage work–family boundaries to optimize their family meal practice. Background Despite the well‐established benefits of family meals, reconciliation of work demands with family meal preparation represents a challenge for many working mothers. A better understanding of malleable antecedents of family meals can be instrumental in enabling more families to have meals together. Method Full‐time working mothers of young children (aged below 12) in Singapore were individually interviewed ( N = 34). In addition to the information about their typical family meal arrangements, we explored work and family factors that shape family meals and the strategies working mothers use to manage work–family boundaries. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Working mothers adopt various work–family boundary management strategies (temporal, behavioral, and communication) to achieve desired family meal frequency and quality of mealtime interactions. Mothers' broad views on work–family management and thoughts about family meals undergird their choice of specific strategies. Conclusion This research revealed working mothers' active management of work–family boundaries as a novel answer to the critical question of how working mothers of young children make family meals happen. Implications Our research has practical implications for working mothers' ability to facilitate family meals.
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Research has shown the importance of routines for optimal child development. A systematic review can offer a detailed overview of the evidence linking routines to child outcomes, particularly in high‐risk settings. This review aimed to elucidate the association between daily routines and child development and to pinpoint the protective role of routines in high‐risk environments. A search of PubMed and PsycINFO databases yielded literature from 1950 to June 2020. Out of 4297 initial hits, 170 studies met the selection criteria. Findings mainly indicate that routines are associated with positive developmental outcomes in children, covering cognitive, self‐regulation, social–emotional, academic skills, and overall mental and physical health. The results also underline the protective power of routines in challenging environments. The study suggests possible mechanisms through which routines influence child outcomes and recommends avenues for future research, supporting evidence‐based strategies to encourage parental use of routines.
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This paper presents ethnographic work conducted to investigate how notions of culinary capital have the potential to shape the everyday experiences of children during mealtime in school. Children's early experiences with mealtimes and food are critical determinants for eating behaviour over the life course. The paper presents an account of conceptual debates based on longstanding ethnographic work on school food with a particular focus on a case study of Maple Field Academy to frame the research. Research methods used included semi‐structured interviews, fieldnotes and photographs with the aim of capturing a rich picture of the school. This paper introduces Laird's sensory theory to frame the discussion. This research calls for the need to recognise the social good that can be realised from participating in mealtimes and school is a microcosm of society, which means it can function as a driver for social change. The paper calls for more engagement with social theorising on studies which focus on researching food in school.
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The aim of this study was to develop a Japanese version of the Family Routines Inventory (FRI). The web-based survey was conducted as a pilot study. Based on data from 520 mothers with children aged under 15 years, the scale was revised. In the main survey, 919 mothers of high school students completed a self-administered questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha of this scale was 0.81, and internal consistencies were confirmed by item–total correlation excluding 7 items. Exploratory factor analysis showed five factors: “routines in families with working parents,” “routines in interaction between parents and children,” “routines in families with well-regulated lives,” “routines in family interactions,” and “routines in kin relationships.” There was a significant relationship between the Japanese version of the FRI and the Family Relationships Index. This study showed the reliability, criterion-related validity, and factor structure of the Japanese version of the FRI. However, further modifications are required.
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Introduction Late adolescence is a crucial period during which individuals connect with new communities. Furthermore, their mental health has lasting effects on their overall well-being. Involvement with family and the local community plays a significant role in shaping adolescents’ personalities and well-being. Additionally, pets, such as dogs and cats, function as social catalysts and increase interactions with family and the local community. We hypothesized that pet ownership would increase involvement with family and the local community and thereby impact adolescents’ personalities and well-being. Methods Therefore, this study investigated whether owning dogs or cats was related to well-being through increased involvement with family and local community members in late adolescence. Data were collected via a questionnaire administered to high school and university students. The questionnaire included questions on basic information about adolescents and their families, pet ownership experience, family and local community involvement, well-being, cultural estrangement inventory, and general trust. Results Structural equation modeling revealed that adolescent women who owned dogs or cats had higher well-being and general trust through their involvement with their families. Although previous research reported that men who had experienced pet ownership in childhood were more sociable in old age, the effect of pet ownership on men was not observed in this study. Discussion During late adolescence, when individuals experience many connections with new communities, the effects of pets may temporarily decrease. Therefore, future cohort studies should examine the effects of pets on each age group.
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The factors that influence student academic performance have long been discussed by academics. However, to our knowledge, there are no data on the informal learning activities organised by parents. Therefore, there is a need to explore how parents influence student academic performance. To do so, we acquired a dataset from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) to test the proposed measurements (e.g. the frequency of visiting museums with parents) through regression models. Several findings are summarised in the results. For instance, we found that there is a positive and significant association between parent-organised informal learning activities and student academic performance. Such a linkage can be negatively moderated by students' self-reported course difficulty in some cases (e.g. when students are frequently eating dinner with their parents). In terms of contribution, this study may be one of the first to discuss how parent-organised informal learning activities influence student academic performance.
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Family mealtimes are associated with benefits for children, including healthy eating, fewer behavior problems, and healthy psychological well-being. However, the interactions during family mealtimes, and the parent and child characteristics, which may affect both the family mealtime environment and the associated benefits in children are not fully understood. The goal of this study was to examine the role of child and parent characteristics on the family mealtime environment. We tested several mediation models to explain how child temperament (negative affectivity), parent stress, and the dimensions of parent feeding style (responsiveness and demandingness) interact and influence each other to impact the structure and quality of the mealtime environment. Parents (68 mothers; 82 fathers) of children between 2 and 6 years completed an online survey. Measures included the Children's Behavior Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, Caregiver's Feeding Styles Questionnaire, and The Meals in Our Household Questionnaire. Child negative affectivity was associated with poorer mealtime quality and structure. These associations were mediated through parent responsiveness, but not demandingness. The role of demandingness in family mealtimes may depend on parent responsiveness. When examined together in a serial mediation model, child negative affectivity increased parent stress, which reduced responsiveness, and led to poorer mealtime quality and structure. These results emphasize the complex relationships between child temperament, parent stress, and the dimensions of parenting styles that occur within the mealtime context. This line of research is essential for understanding family mealtime dynamics and informing future studies aimed at creating positive interactions between parents and children during mealtimes.
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Although measures of the home environment have gained wide acceptance in the child development literature, what constitutes the “average” or “typical” home environment in the United States, and how this differs across ethnic groups and poverty status is not known. Item-level data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth on four age-related versions of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment–Short Form (HOME-SF) from five biennial assessments (1986–1994) were analyzed for the total sample and for four major ethnic groups: European Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans. The percentages of homes receiving credit on each item of all four versions of the HOME-SF are described. For the majority of items at all four age levels differences between poor and nonpoor families were noted. Differences were also obtained among African American, European American, and Hispanic American families, but the magnitude of the effect for poverty status was greater than for ethnicity, and usually absorbed most of the ethnic group effects on HOME-SF items. For every item at every age, the effects of poverty were proportional across European American, African American, and Hispanic American groups.
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The main threats to adolescents' health are the risk behaviors they choose. How their social context shapes their behaviors is poorly understood. To identify risk and protective factors at the family, school, and individual levels as they relate to 4 domains of adolescent health and morbidity: emotional health, violence, substance use, and sexuality. Cross-sectional analysis of interview data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. A total of 12118 adolescents in grades 7 through 12 drawn from an initial national school survey of 90118 adolescents from 80 high schools plus their feeder middle schools. The interview was completed in the subject's home. Eight areas were assessed: emotional distress; suicidal thoughts and behaviors; violence; use of 3 substances (cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana); and 2 types of sexual behaviors (age of sexual debut and pregnancy history). Independent variables included measures of family context, school context, and individual characteristics. Parent-family connectedness and perceived school connectedness were protective against every health risk behavior measure except history of pregnancy. Conversely, ease of access to guns at home was associated with suicidality (grades 9-12: P<.001) and violence (grades 7-8: P<.001; grades 9-12: P<.001). Access to substances in the home was associated with use of cigarettes (P<.001), alcohol (P<.001), and marijuana (P<.001) among all students. Working 20 or more hours a week was associated with emotional distress of high school students (P<.01), cigarette use (P<.001), alcohol use (P<.001), and marijuana use (P<.001). Appearing "older than most" in class was associated with emotional distress and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among high school students (P<.001); it was also associated with substance use and an earlier age of sexual debut among both junior and senior high students. Repeating a grade in school was associated with emotional distress among students in junior high (P<.001) and high school (P<.01) and with tobacco use among junior high students (P<.001). On the other hand, parental expectations regarding school achievement were associated with lower levels of health risk behaviors; parental disapproval of early sexual debut was associated with a later age of onset of intercourse (P<.001). Family and school contexts as well as individual characteristics are associated with health and risky behaviors in adolescents. The results should assist health and social service providers, educators, and others in taking the first steps to diminish risk factors and enhance protective factors for our young people.
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To the Editor.—The study by Dr Resnick and colleagues,1particularly their findings regarding parent-family connectedness as a protective factor against emotional distress, is timely, given the destructive waves that are eroding the institution of the family in the United States. Their findings have important social policy implications, given the ever-increasing rates of marital dissolution (marriages that end in divorce are estimated at over 60%), single-parent families (over 30%), births to unwed mothers (over 30%), and the unprecedented increasing proportion of mothers in paid employment with toddlers and children younger than 6 years (over 60%).2Resnick and colleagues could have strengthened their conclusions by relating their findings to these current social trends.
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The proportion of children eating dinner with their families declines with age and has decreased over time. Few data exist concerning the nutritional effect of eating family dinner. To examine the associations between frequency of eating dinner with family and measures of diet quality. Cross-sectional. A national convenience sample. There were 8677 girls and 7525 boys in the study, aged 9 to 14 years, who were children of the participants in the ongoing Nurses' Health Study II. We collected data from a self-administered mailed survey, including food and nutrient intakes from a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Main outcome measures included servings per day of selected foods and food groups, daily intakes of selected macronutrients and micronutrients, and frequency of multivitamin use. Approximately 17% of participants ate dinner with members of their family never or some days, 40% on most days, and 43% every day. More than half of the 9-year-olds ate family dinner every day, whereas only about one third of 14-year-olds did so. In age- and sex-adjusted logistic regression models, the odds ratios associated with a frequency of family dinner of most days compared with never or some days, or every day compared with most days, were as follows: for eating at least 5 servings per day of fruits and vegetables, 1.45 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37-1.53); for eating any fried foods away from home, 0.67 (95% CI, 0.64-0.70); and for drinking any soda, 0.73 (95% CI, 0.66-0.80). Multiple linear regression showed that an increased frequency of family dinner was also associated with substantially higher intake of several nutrients, including fiber, calcium, folate, iron, vitamins B6, B12, C, and E; lower glycemic load; and lower intake of saturated and trans fat as a percentage of energy. We observed little or no effect on intakes of whole dairy products, red meat, or snack foods. Patterns were similar for boys and girls. Eating family dinner was associated with healthful dietary intake patterns, including more fruits and vegetables, less fried food and soda, less saturated and trans fat, lower glycemic load, more fiber and micronutrients from food, and no material differences in red meat or snack foods.
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This study aimed to identify correlates of unhealthy weight-control behaviors in adolescents to guide the development of programs aimed at the primary prevention of disordered eating. A model explaining unhealthy weight-control behaviors was tested among 4,746 adolescents using structural equation modeling. Models fit the data well and explained 76% of the variance in unhealthy weight-control behaviors among girls and 63% among boys. Weight-body concerns were a strong correlate of unhealthy weight-control behaviors in both girls and boys. Models also emphasized the importance of weight-specific social norms within the adolescent's proximal environment. Findings suggest the importance of addressing weight-body concerns within prevention programs and extending interventions beyond classroom settings to ensure changes in weight-related norms among peer groups and family members.
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• The epidemiology and correlates of depressive mood were measured in a representative sample of public high school students in New York State and a subsample matched to their parents. Depressive mood was measured by a self-reported scale validated in a clinical sample. Adolescents with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder scored higher than those with other psychiatric diagnoses. In the general adolescent sample, sex differences in depressive mood paralleled those previously reported for adults, with girls scoring higher than boys. Adolescents reported higher depressive mood than their parents, with the differences greater in daughter-mother than in son-father pairs. If judged by mood differences,adolescence was a stressful period in the life cycle. Lowest levels of adolescent depressive mood correlated with high levels of attachment both to parents and to peers. Sex differences in depressive mood In adolescents may be accounted for by masked depression and increased delinquency among boys as compared with girls.
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Context: The proportion of children eating dinner with their families declines with age and has decreased over time. Few data exist concerning the nutritional effect of eating family dinner. Objective: To examine the associations between frequency of eating dinner with family and measures of diet quality. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: A national convenience sample. Participants: There were 8677 girls and 7525 boys in the study, aged 9 to 14 years, who were children of the participants in the ongoing Nurses’ Health Study II.
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It is generally agreed that promoting effective communication in families is a desirable goal for health professionals. Many nurses are consulted by families for direction in managing a multitude of issues. A paucity of literature addressing both adolescent communication and communication in families with adolescents, prompted us to embark upon a programme of research which has examined how adolescents expand their abilities to communicate and explored how adolescents and their families perceive communication within their family. This paper reports on a qualitative study that explored through serial in-depth interviews, parents' and teenagers' perceptions of communication in their families. The conceptualization developed from the study data characterizes communication as a tool used by families. The families' abilities to use the tool effectively, however, is greatly influenced by feelings about the topic or issue under discussion. A major theme in our data is adolescent independence. What this means for parents and adolescents and how this developmental task influences the communication patterns used within the families is discussed.
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The study objectives were to (1) increase our knowledge about family meal patterns of adolescents, (2) identify factors that adolescents perceive as reasons for not eating meals with their family, and (3) assess adolescents’ perceptions on whether they eat more healthful foods at family meals than in other eating situations. Focus group discussions were conducted with 141 adolescents from 7th and 10th grade health education classes from urban public junior and senior high schools in Minnesota. Twenty-one focus groups were audiotaped, tapes were transcribed verbatim, transcripts were reviewed for emerging themes, and themes were coded using content analysis procedures. For some adolescents, family meals were part of their daily routine, whereas for others, family meals were not the norm. Diversity also existed with regard to the context of family meals, such as activities during meals and settings for meals. Major reasons for not having meals as a family included parent and teen schedules, teen desire for autonomy, dissatisfaction with family relations, and dislike of food served at family meals. Most of the adolescents thought that they would eat more healthful foods if they ate more often with their families. Key factors that appeared to influence whether participation in family meals would lead to a more healthful diet included food availability at meals, rules around mealtimes, and health-related attitudes of family members. There is great diversity in both the quantity and quality of meals in the families of adolescents. Health care providers working with youth and their families should inquire about family meals and encourage the practice of eating with family members, taking into account what is feasible for a particular family.
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This study aimed to increase our understanding of family meal patterns among adolescents. A school-based survey was completed by 252 junior and senior high school students. Nearly a third (30.7%) reported that their families had eaten a meal together at least seven times over the past week, but a similar percentage (31.9%) reported two or fewer family meals over the past week. Frequent television viewing during meals was reported by about half (52.8%) of the respondents. Adolescents reported feeling more certain about making health ful food choices at family meals than in other eating situations. Findings from this pilot study indicate that further investigations of family meal patterns among youth and the associations between family meals and eating behaviors are warranted.
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There are few topics so fascinating both to the research investigator and the research subject as the self-image. It is distinctively characteristic of the human animal that he is able to stand outside himself and to describe, judge, and evaluate the person he is. He is at once the observer and the observed, the judge and the judged, the evaluator and the evaluated. Since the self is probably the most important thing in the world to him, the question of what he is like and how he feels about himself engrosses him deeply. This is especially true during the adolescent stage of development.
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Family rituals, consisting of celebrations, traditions, and patterned family interactions, are defined and illustrated in this paper. The power of ritual practice in families is explained by three underlying processes — transformation, communication, and stabilization — concepts whose roots lie in anthropology and ethology. We propose that all families struggle with finding a suitable role for rituals in their collective lives but their actual achievement varies greatly. Commitment to ritual and adaptability of ritual practice throughout the family life cycle are important considerations. The utility of these concepts in the assessment and treatment of families is discussed.
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The epidemiology and correlates of depressive mood were measured in a representative sample of public high school students in New York State and a subsample matched to their parents. Depressive mood was measured by a self-reported scale validated in a clinical sample. Adolescents with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder scored higher than those with other psychiatric diagnoses. In the general adolescent sample, ex differences in depressive mood paralleled those previously reported for adults, with girls scoring higher than boys. Adolescents reported higher depressive mood than their parents, with the differences greater in daughter-mother than in son-father pairs. If judged by mood differences, adolescence was a stressful period in the life cycle. Lowest levels of adolescent depressive mood correlated with high levels of attachment both to parents and to peers. Sex differences in depressive mood in adolescents may be accounted for by masked depression and increased delinquency among boys as compared with girls.
Article
This study of over 36,000 7th-12th grade students focused on protective factors against the quietly disturbed and acting out behaviours, which together represent the major social morbidities of adolescence. Multivariate models developed separately for girls and boys repeatedly demonstrated the protective function of caring and connectedness in the lives of youth, particularly a sense of connectedness to family and to school. A sense of spirituality, as well as low family stress (referring to poverty, unemployment, substance use and domestic violence) also functioned as protective factors. Measures of caring and connectedness surpassed demographic variables such as two parent vs single parent family structure as protective factors against high risk behaviours. Interventions for youth at-risk must critically examine the ways in which opportunities for a sense of belonging may be fostered, particularly among youth who do not report any significant caring relationships in their lives with adults.
Article
This article describes the use of a slightly modified version of the Eating Disorders Examination (EDE) in children. Sixteen children aged between 7 and 14 years attending an eating disorders clinic over a 5-month period were recruited to the study. The two main modifications to the EDE were (A) the inclusion of a sort task to assess overvalued ideas about weight and shape and (B) the reformulation of certain items to assess intent rather than actual behavior. The existing EDE scoring system was used, resulting in item, subscale, and global scores. Of the 16 children (10 F 6 M), 11 had a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, and 5 of eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). There were interesting differences in responses on items assessing core overvalued ideas, with weight and/or shape concerns emerging as of great importance in terms of self-evaluation in the majority of children with anorexia nervosa. Results suggest that this may be a useful assessment tool in children, with some children obtaining global and subscale scores consistent with adult norms for females with eating disorders. Problems of the administration of the EDE to this patient group are discussed and details of the modifications used are outlined.
Article
The focus of this chapter is parent and adolescent communication in nondistressed families. Communication is the assertive and unoffensive expression and accurate and attentive receipt of opinions, feelings, and ideas. Aspects of adolescent and adult development have been shown to influence as well as be influenced by perceptions of family communication. Though recently subject to extensive scrutiny and criticism, the paradigm of parent and adolescent conflict dominates this research area. Nurses and other have demonstrated strategies to enhance communication between parent and adolescents, with promising results. Issues of subject participation are reviewed and recommendations for future directions in research and practice are made.
Article
In 1997, suicide was the third leading cause of death among 10- to 19-year-olds in the United States, with the greatest increases in suicide rates in the previous decade experienced by black and other minority youth. The purpose of this study was to identify risk and protective factors for suicide attempts among black, Hispanic, and white male and female adolescents. We used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, conducted in 1995 and 1996. A nationally representative sample of 13 110 students in grades 7 through 12 completed 2 in-home interviews, an average of 11 months apart. We examined Time 1 factors at the individual, family, and community level that predicted or protected against Time 2 suicide attempts. Perceived parent and family connectedness was protective against suicide attempts for black, Hispanic, and white girls and boys, with odds ratios ranging from 0.06 to 0.32. For girls, emotional well-being was also protective for all of the racial/ethnic groups studied, while a high grade point average was an additional protective factor for all of the boys. Cross-cutting risk factors included previous suicide attempt, violence victimization, violence perpetration, alcohol use, marijuana use, and school problems. Additionally, somatic symptoms, friend suicide attempt or completion, other illicit drug use, and a history of mental health treatment predicted suicide attempts among black, Hispanic, and white females. Weapon-carrying at school and same-sex romantic attraction were predictive for all groups of boys. Calculating the estimated probabilities of attempting suicide for adolescents with increasing numbers of risk and protective factors revealed that the presence of 3 protective factors reduced the risk of a suicide attempt by 70% to 85% for each of the gender and racial/ethnic groups, including those with and without identified risk factors. In these national samples of black, Hispanic, and white youth, unique and cross-cutting factors derived from a resiliency framework predicted or protected against attempting suicide. In addition to risk reduction, promotion of protective factors may offer an effective approach to primary as well as secondary prevention of adolescent suicidal behavior.
Article
Adolescents are considered at high risk for engaging in such negative health behaviors as drug and alcohol use, unprotected sexual intercourse, and violence. Conventional wisdom has long upheld the belief that the peer group exerts the strongest influence on adolescent behavior. However, recent research has shown that in fact the family remains a strong factor in moderating teen risk behavior. Holistic nursing acknowledges the crucial relationship between environment and health; the environment is composed of everything that surrounds the individual, which by definition includes the family. The purpose of this article is to examine the evidence supporting the concept of the family as a protective external asset in adolescent development, to explore the way the family helps defend young people from risk, and to review briefly the implications for nursing research, practice, advocacy, and education.
Article
The family mealtime environment has great potential to affect the eating behaviors of youth in the family. It is difficult to determine the important elements of a healthy mealtime environment because a valid assessment of the family environment is so difficult to obtain.The objective of this study is to examine the level of agreement between adult and adolescent perceptions of the family mealtime environment and adolescent mealtime behavior.A telephone survey was used to query adult and adolescent family members about how they perceive the family mealtime environment and the adolescent's mealtime behavior. A convenience sample of 282 adult/adolescent pairs from four schools in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area completed the telephone surveys. Frequencies of responses and the associations between the adult and adolescent responses are presented. Pearson correlations and regression were used to examine the level of association between adult and adolescent responses. Mixed-model regression was used for the continuous variables, and mixed-model logistic regression was used for the dichotomous variables. This study showed very little concordance between adolescent and adult responses. Only one question regarding arguments about eating during mealtime showed concordance. Adults and adolescents living in the same household seem to have different perceptions of the family mealtime environment and adolescent eating patterns. Researchers need to be aware of and concerned with the validity of the use of self-report for descriptions of family mealtime. They also need to be aware of the difference in adult and adolescent perceptions and consider these differences when designing messages for the family.
Article
This study determined the prevalence of Minnesota urban youths reaching the Healthy People 2010 objectives for obesity and intake of fat, calcium, fruits, vegetables, and grains and compared prevalence rates across sociodemographic characteristics. The study sample included 4746 adolescents (aged 11-18 years) from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area who completed dietary surveys and participated in anthropometric measurements as part of a school-based population study. Considerable gaps were seen between the existing prevalence rates for obesity and nutrient and food patterns and the targeted Healthy People 2010 prevalence rates. For example, 12.5% of the girls and 16.6% of the boys had body mass index values at or greater than the 95th percentile (target = 5%). Only 29.5% of the girls and 42.5% of the boys were meeting the daily recommended intakes for calcium (target = 75%). Similarly, percentages of youths consuming the recommended amounts of fat, fruits, vegetables, and grains were lower than the targeted percentages. There were large sociodemographic disparities in obesity and eating patterns, particularly across race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Concerted public health efforts are needed to achieve the Healthy People 2010 objectives for obesity and nutrition and to reduce racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities.
Article
To examine family meal patterns and associations with sociodemographic characteristics and dietary intake in adolescents. A population-based cross-sectional study design was employed. Adolescents completed the Project EAT (Eating Among Teens) survey and the Youth and Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire within their schools. Subjects/setting The study population included 4,746 middle and high school students from Minneapolis/St. Paul public schools with diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Statistical analyses Associations were examined using cross tabulations, log-linear modeling, and linear regressions. There was a wide distribution in the frequency of family meals during the previous week: never (14.0%), 1 or 2 times (19.1%), 3 to 6 times (40.1%), and 7 or more times (24.8%). Sociodemographic characteristics associated with more frequent family meals included gender (boys), school level (middle school), race (Asian American), mother's employment status (not employed), and socioeconomic status (high). Frequency of family meals was positively associated with intake of fruits, vegetables, grains, and calcium-rich foods and negatively associated with soft drink consumption. Positive associations were also seen between frequency of family meals and energy; protein (percentage of total calories); calcium; iron; folate; fiber; and vitamins A, C, E, and B-6. Family meals appear to play an important role in promoting positive dietary intake among adolescents. Feasible ways to increase the frequency of family meals should be explored with adolescents and their families.
Article
To provide national estimates of the frequency and determinants of adolescents' consumption of fruits, vegetables, and dairy foods. Analyses were based on 18,177 adolescents in the first interview of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Multivariate logistic regressions provide estimates of the unique contribution of sociodemographic characteristics, body weight perception, and parental influences on adolescent food consumption. Almost one in five adolescents reported skipping breakfast the previous day. A large percentage of adolescents reported eating less than the recommended amount of vegetables (71%), fruits (55%), and dairy foods (47%). Adolescents with better-educated parents had better consumption patterns than those with less-educated parents. Consumption patterns differed significantly by race. Adolescents who perceived themselves to be overweight were significantly more likely to have poor consumption patterns. Parental presence at the evening meal was associated with a lower risk of poor consumption of fruits, vegetables, and diary foods as well as the likelihood of skipping breakfast. Parental presence at the evening meal is positively associated with adolescents' higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, and dairy foods. Nutrition and health professionals should educate parents about the role of family mealtimes for healthy adolescent nutrition.
Article
To examine associations between family meal patterns (frequency, priority, atmosphere, and structure of family meals) and disordered eating (unhealthy weight control behaviors, binge eating, and chronic dieting) in adolescent girls and boys. Survey and anthropometric data were collected from 4746 ethnically diverse adolescents from public middle and senior high schools who participated in the Project EAT study (Eating Among Teens). Variables of interest included family meal patterns and disordered eating behaviors. Logistic regressions were performed to examine associations between family meal patterns and disordered eating behaviors adjusting for body mass index, sociodemographic characteristics, family connectedness, and weight pressures within the home. In general, adolescents who reported more frequent family meals, high priority for family meals, a positive atmosphere at family meals, and a more structured family meal environment were less likely to engage in disordered eating. For example, 18.1% of girls who reported 1-2 family meals/week engaged in extreme weight control behaviors compared with 8.8% of girls who reported 3-4 family meals/week. Making family meals a priority, in spite of scheduling difficulties, emerged as the most consistent protective factor for disordered eating. Associations between family meal patterns and disordered eating behaviors tended to be stronger among girls than among boys. Family meal patterns were more consistently associated with unhealthy weight control behaviors than with chronic dieting and binge eating. Although associations between family meals and disordered eating were weakened after adjusting for more global familial factors, including family connectedness and weight-specific pressures within the home, a number of the associations remained statistically significant, suggesting an independent relationship between family meals and disordered eating. Family meals have the potential to play an important role in the prevention of unhealthy weight control behaviors among youth. Findings suggest that attention needs to be directed toward increasing family meal frequency and creating a positive environment for family meals.
Article
To identify familial factors associated with extreme weight control among adolescents. Analysis of a comprehensive 1996 health survey of Connecticut students. Familial factors among extreme dieters who deliberately vomited, took diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics were compared with youth reporting none of these behaviors, using logistic regression controlling for age and body mass index. Nearly 7% of adolescents reported engaging in extreme weight control behaviors. Boys' risk factors included high parental supervision/monitoring and sexual abuse history. Protective factors included high parental expectations, maternal presence, and connectedness with friends and other adults. The only significant risk factor for girls was sexual abuse history. Protective factors included family connectedness, positive family communication, parental supervision/monitoring, and maternal presence. Extreme dieting appears to be less an expression of body composition than of psychosocial issues. That connectedness to family, other adults, and friends is protective further demonstrates interrelationships of extreme weight control behaviors with family/social issues.
Overweight status and eating patterns among adolescents
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Council of Economic Advisors. Teens and their parents in the 21st century: an examination of the trends in teen behavior and the role of parental involvement, 2000. Available at: http://clinton3.nara.gov/WH/EOP/CEA/html/Teens_Paper_Final .pdf. Accessed November 3, 2001.
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