Get help now

The Importance of Family Meals in Reducing Childhood Obesity in Families

Updated August 17, 2022
dovnload

Download Paper

File format: .pdf, .doc, available for editing

The Importance of Family Meals in Reducing Childhood Obesity in Families essay

Get help to write your own 100% unique essay

Get custom paper

78 writers are online and ready to chat

This essay has been submitted to us by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our writers.

Mom spends her day in the kitchen cooking the perfect pot roast for dinner. She calls up to the children that dinner is ready. The children stop working on their homework and come downstairs to help set the table. Everyone eagerly waits for dad to walk in the door with his token catchphrase; “Honey, I am home.” Everyone has stories to share, accomplishments to brag about, and mistakes to complain about. The front door opens, and dad is home. Dinner may commence! Unfortunately, the family meals children experience today are not the same as they were 50 years. There has been a slow decrease in the frequency of the family meals in some sub-populations, especially in families of low SES. (Neumark-Sztainer, Wall, Faulkerson, & Larson, 2013). In addition, families are spending less time at the dinner table, engaged in meaningful conversation and more time eating in front of the television (Horning, et al., 2017).

Many of the researchers in the referenced studies have taken the time to introduce the importance of the family meal and the role it plays in decreasing childhood obesity in families. Especially in families that may not utilize positive interactions or sit down together for a meal with the television turned off. Increasing interpersonal dynamics during a meal could build lasting healthy relationships. Despite these shortcomings, sitting down together for one family meal, free of hostilities, a few times a week, may decrease childhood obesity, increase positive interpersonal dynamics between the parent and the child, and encourage healthier eating habits. Decreasing hostile conversation exchanges during meal times, between parent and child may decrease instances of childhood obesity.

Families, where the parents had a higher BMI (body mass index) and engaged in hostile conversations during the meal, increased likelihood of obesity in their children. Hostility, for this study, was described as mild criticism, a cynical smile, heavy use of sarcasm, or frequent mocking (Berge et al., 2014). In a positive atmosphere, where hostilities are a minimum, families may see a reduced number of children with higher BMI’s, according to Berge’s study. Introducing the importance of positive behaviors during meal time can have a positive effect on a child’s weight. Results of the various studies illustrate the importance of creating and maintaining an environment that is conducive to allowing a family to join in a family meal without engaging in negative food-related family dynamics. Berge’s study on Childhood Obesity and Interpersonal Dynamics During Family Meals focuses on the interactions between mother-child dyads. Coders observed the frequency of these measures. Some of the measures included positive reinforcement, inconsistent discipline, communication, hostility and warmth or nurturing.

These measures were then compared the results with the child’s BMI. It was noted that there were more negative measures associated with children whose BMI was higher. (Berge et al., 2014). The participants of this particular study included families where the average child’s age was nine. Similar studies observed adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17. The significance of incorporating higher family meal frequencies to increase emotional well-being in adolescents may also help support a healthier BMI, lowering obesity rates. In one particular study, families with one or more overweight parent, of children in grades 7-12, described eating less frequently together and had higher scores for depression and stress (Lytle et al., 2011). Stress, depression, lack of family rules, and time demands all contributed to negatively affecting family meal practices. (Lytle, et al., 2011).

A second study agreed that families who expressed feelings during their meal time, showed a genuine concern for conversation that was expressed during the meal, meal planned, and observed basic rules and expectations while eating had adolescents with lower BMI’s (Berge, Jin, Hannan, & Neumark-Sztainer 2013). A second study observed the decline of adolescents sitting down together with the family for a family meal. From 199-2010. The number of adolescents joining their family for a sit-down meal increased from 31% to 34.5% (Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2012). Improving positive interpersonal relationships during meal times may decrease likelihood of obesity. In families where meal times are a priority, the adolescents were less likely to engage in eating that was disordered (Fulkerson, Strauss, Neumark-Sztainer, Story, & Boutelle, 2007). A family unit who creates a space, free from distractions, that makes meal time a priority has teens who are more likely to have a healthy body image, free from eating disorders.

It was hypothesized in Fulkerson’s study that making mealtimes a priority, while also building a positive environment to share mealtimes would have a positive association on an adolescent and family. Within their study Fulkerson and her peers were able to prove a positive relation within their hypothesis (Fulkerson et al., 2007). Family meals are not just associated with positive health or obesity outcomes, but overall emotional outcomes as well (Kim, J. 2018). Throughout the various studies and online articles, it became clear that the connection between family dynamics and childhood obesity share a strong correlation. In homes, where parents promote eating together as a family, with positive and consistent routines, they may help prevent childhood obesity (Horning et al., 2017). Children and adolescents prosper when parents or caregivers take the time to introduce healthy foods encourage positive interactions during the family meal, while sitting down as a family a few times a week.

The Importance of Family Meals in Reducing Childhood Obesity in Families essay

Remember. This is just a sample

You can get your custom paper from our expert writers

Get custom paper

The Importance of Family Meals in Reducing Childhood Obesity in Families. (2022, Aug 17). Retrieved from https://sunnypapers.com/the-importance-of-family-meals-in-reducing-childhood-obesity-in-families/