Prevalence and Correlates of Family Meals among Families of 3rd Graders
Journal Title: Archives of Community Medicine and Public Health - Year 2015, Vol 1, Issue 1
Abstract
Introduction: Dietary intake has a significant role in promoting health and preventing disease. Family meals have been associated with higher nutrient intake, lower obesity rates, and other social benefits, yet little is known about what influences family meal frequency. Methods: We examined psychosocial and demographic factors potentially related to eating dinner together among families of third graders (N=1474) participating in “Hi5+,” a family- and school-based nutrition program. Families were recruited from 33 schools to participate in a randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of a fruit and vegetable promotion program. Results: Hierarchical sequential multiple regression identified nine independent variables that contributed significantly to predicting the frequency of family dinners. Meal-planning capability was the strongest predictor, followed by an increased number of children in the household, lower income bracket, being White, and mothers who are not externally employed, want the family to eat together, monitor their child’s intake, strongly encourage fruit and vegetable intake, and are satisfied with their family’s current fruit and vegetable intake. Conclusions: Given the importance of diet in preventing obesity and many of the leading causes of death, the importance of the family in shaping future health behaviors among youth, and the influence of family practice physicians in encouraging and reinforcing caregiver behaviors, physician efforts to encourage meal planning and support family meals among their patients are warranted. These findings can have important implications for efforts to intervene before the shift to adolescence where both family meals and vegetable intake become less frequent.
Authors and Affiliations
Davies Susan L, Harrington Kathleen F, Fontaine Kevin, Shewchuk M, Windle Michael, Franklin Frank A
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP326319
- DOI 10.17352/2455-5479.000003
- Views 143
- Downloads 0
Prevalence and Correlates of Family Meals among Families of 3rd Graders
Introduction: Dietary intake has a significant role in promoting health and preventing disease. Family meals have been associated with higher nutrient intake, lower obesity rates, and other social benefits, yet little is...
A Pilot Study Exploring the Relationship between Short-Term HRV and Self-Rated Health Status among Elderly People
Introduction: Establishing a personalized health care system can enable elderly people to access health care in their familiar community or home environments to achieve aging in place. The aims of this study are twofold:...
Don’t We Need Non-communicable Diseases Block in Government Tertiary Care Hospitals?
Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) are emerging as the major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. In India, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) contribute to around 5.87 million deaths that account for 60% of all deaths...
Under-Five Mortality in India: A Muddled Trip through Millennium Development Goal - 4
The Millennium Development Goal-4 (MDG-4) had a target of reducing the under-five mortality rate (U5MR) by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015. When compared to 1990 levels, 17,000 fewer children died each day in 2015. In...
Prevalence of Hypertension among adults aged 40 years and above in Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria
Introduction: This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of hypertension among adults aged 40 years and above in a rural Nigerian Population. Materials and Methods: Semi-structured questionnaires were completed...