RESOURCE: Eating together as a family

[SMillerMPH at aol.com]

Hi, Agneta!
As you look for evidence of the benefits of families eating together, you 
might want to look at the benefits of modeling behavior (children modeling 
adult eating behaviors, children modeling other children's eating behaviors.) 
Leann Birch's work addresses this. Also see "Toddlers' food Preferences: 
Concordance with Family Members' Preferences," Skinner et al, Journal of 
Nutrition Ed, vol 30, no. 1, Jan/Feb 1998.

I've pulled out Nutrition Today, vol 31, no.6, Nov/Dec 1996, "Children's Food 
Aceptance Patterns" by Birch, PhD, Penn State, which also adds this 
dimension: "...when foods are given to children in positive social 
contexts,... children's preferences for those foods are enhanced....In 
summary, children form associations between food and social contexts in which 
eating occurs...Because children form these associations between foods and 
feeding contexts, child-feeding practices contribute to the formation of food 
acceptance patterns..." 

Also, (thinking big here,) I have recently read "Listening to Parents, A 
National Survey of Parents with Young Children," (Arch Pediatr Adolesc 
Med/Vol 152, mar 1998, available online at <<www.ama.assn.org/peds>>) which 
I've just pulled out in response to your question. One paragraph in 
particular seems to point to this question of the benefit of mealtimes: 
"Mothers and fathers do not report engaging in important activities with 
their children on a regular basis...almost 1/3 (of 2017 parents surveyed) did 
not even play with their child more than once a day...Parents are busy, to be 
sure, and there just does not seem to be enough time to do even more..." (My 
note: When I read this, I thought "so the importance of mealtimes becomes 
even greater, right?")  
Next paragraph: "Some parents are having a hard time of it. This study 
revealed a clinically important and troubling association between parental 
depressive symptoms and daily child-rearing activities, such as meal and 
bedtime routines...(etc.)" (My note: this brings up that other area, parental 
emotional health, which may impact childrens' nutritional status more than we 
know...)

I'm remembering one more thing, which I can't put my hands on at the moment. 
It was an article a few years ago called "Back to the Table" by a California 
group...Maybe somebody else remembers that and can reference...? It was very 
interesting. Also, somebody told me about a study of people in jail 
correlated with family mealtimes they experienced, or something like that...I 
never got a reference on it but wouldn't that be interesting to see! 

Just food for thought...
Please post what references you come up with? The area of family dynamics 
around food interests so many of us right now. Thanks!

:-) Susan Miller


Susan Miller, MPH
Nutrition Consultant
3651 Rue Mignon
New Orleans, LA 70131
504-391-2819