The Importance of Family Meals and Sedentary Behavior in Understanding Childhood Depression and Obesity

The ongoing obesity epidemic within the United States is a problem that has received a lot of attention, but is still inadequately understood. Understanding the epidemic requires examining BMI from a larger perspective, with an ecological mindset (Rosenkranz & Dzewaltowski, 2008). A bidirectional relationship between depression and obesity, which has been found in the past, might be due to family meals. Sedentary behaviors has been linked to both outcomes, and is predicted by family meal frequency, suggesting that it may play a mediational role. In order to help clarify the relationship between depressive symptoms and obesity, a sample of 120 youth (55.8% males) between the ages of eight and 14 years old (M = 11.90, SD = 1.87) was examined. The sample was predominantly Caucasian (36.7%) and African American (33.3%). Preliminary analyses found that there were differences in the outcome variables between males and females, and between participants from the two recruitment sites. Regression analyses and Sobel tests with bootstraps were conducted to test the theoretical model, one for each mediational pathway. Evidence was found for a mediational relationship between family meal frequency and depressed mood, through sedentary behaviors (indirect effect b = -0.04, 95% CI [-0.11, -0.01]). No evidence was found for the same relationship but with BMI as the outcome instead of depressed mood, as the indirect effect was non-significant (b = -0.01, 95% CI [-0.07, 0.03]). Implications for future research and intervention development are discussed

Beyond the dinner table: Who's having breakfast, lunch and dinner family meals and which meals are associated with better diet quality and BMI in pre-school children?

Objective Having frequent family dinners is associated with better diet quality in children; however, it is unknown whether the frequency of certain family meal types (i.e. dinner) is more strongly associated with better child weight and diet quality compared with other meal types (i.e. breakfast, lunch). Thus, the current study examined the frequency of eating breakfast, lunch or dinner family meals and associations with pre-school children's overall diet quality (HEI-2010) and BMI percentile. Design Cross-sectional baseline data (2012-2014) from two randomized controlled childhood obesity prevention trials, NET-Works and GROW, were analysed together. Setting Studies were carried out in community and in-home settings in urban areas of Minnesota and Tennessee, USA. Subjects Parent-child (ages 2-5 years) pairs from Minnesota (n 222 non-Hispanics; n 312 Hispanics) and Tennessee (n 545 Hispanics; n 55 non-Hispanics) participated in the study. Results Over 80 % of families ate breakfast or lunch family meals at least once per week. Over 65 % of families ate dinner family meals ≥5 times/week. Frequency of breakfast family meals and total weekly family meals were significantly associated with healthier diet quality for non-Hispanic pre-school children (P<0·05), but not for Hispanic children. Family meal frequency by meal type was not associated with BMI percentile for non-Hispanic or Hispanic pre-school children. Conclusions Breakfast family meal frequency and total weekly family meal frequency were associated with healthier diet quality in non-Hispanic pre-school children but not in Hispanic children. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the association between family meal type and child diet quality and BMI percentile

Family Meal Influence on Dietary Quality of Students in Grade Six, Seven, and Eight from Ontario and Nova Scotia

In 2004, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Report, Healthy Weights, Healthy Lives (Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, 2004) identified the family (as well as the government, food industry, workplaces, schools, and individuals) for recommendations for action. As a means to promote, achieve, and maintain healthy body weights for both parents and children, Healthy Weights, Healthy Lives (2004) recommended enjoying family meals whenever possible. Very little evidence, however, exists to justify the promotion of family meals within Canada. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to describe family meal frequency and meal environments, and to examine the associations with diet quality (as assessed using a Canadian adaptation to the Health Eating Index (HEI-C; Glanville and McIntyre, 2006), and other commonly reported food behaviours and attitudes. The sample (males=1572 and females=1627) comprised students in grade six (n=1266), seven (n=1359), and eight (n=579) classrooms from Northern Ontario (Porcupine Region n=385), Southern Ontario (Peel Region n=1413, Region of Waterloo n=405, Toronto District n=216), and Nova Scotia (as part of the Physical Activity in Children and Youth (PACY) study n=804) participating in school surveillance-based studies. Data were collected using the web-based Food Behaviour Questionnaire, which included a 24 hour food recall, food frequency questionnaire, and specific questions relating to family meals. The majority of participants reported frequent family meals (70% on 6-7 days/week, 19% on 3-5 days/week, and 11% on 0-2 days/week). Family meal frequency decreased with increasing grade (X2=30.629 (df=4), p<0.001), and was significantly higher among participants from Porcupine, and lower among participants from Peel (X2=46.815 (df=8), p<0.001). The mean HEI-C score across all participants was 65.1 (SD 13.2) and the majority (73%) were rated in the needs improvement category. Family meal frequency, particularly between 0-2 and 6-7 days/week, was positively associated with diet quality scores (adjusted p=0.045) and ratings (p=0.049). When investigating the person(s) with whom meals were consumed, participants who ate breakfast with family members (versus alone, p=0.012) and/or lunch with friends (versus alone, p=0.007 or with family members, p<0.001) had a significantly greater likelihood of having a better diet quality. Participants who skipped breakfast (p<0.001) and/or lunch (p<0.001) had a greater likelihood of having a worse diet quality than those that consumed each meal. Cluster K-means procedures were used to classify observations about the four meal environment variables (where the meal was consumed, with whom the meal was consumed, who prepared the meal, and where the food was originally purchased) into groups. A total of 3, 8, and 6 clusters of meal environments were identified for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, respectively. Diet quality was negatively associated with consuming/purchasing meals outside of the home, and skipping breakfast and/or lunch. Meal skipping had a larger impact on overall diet quality than the environmental conditions under which the meal was consumed. Finally, associations among family meal frequency and other commonly reported food behaviours and attitudes were investigated. Higher family meal frequency was significantly associated with less pop consumption, consuming breakfast on the day of the survey, having higher self-efficacy for healthy eating when at home with family and during social times with friends. This research, in a large, geographically diverse sample of grade six, seven, and eight students from Ontario and Nova Scotia, found that family meal frequency and specific aspects of meal environments were positively associated with diet quality, and various healthy eating behaviours and attitudes. This research supports the growing body of literature in favour of family meals. Since the diet of most students in grade six, seven, and eight was suboptimal, strategies to promote healthy family meals should be widely encouraged

Associations of family meals with adolescent perception of family relationship and compliance with parental guidance in Hong Kong: results of a representative cross-sectional survey

Family meals are beneficial for adolescent development, but evidence from Chinese populations has been limited. This study aimed to examine the associations between family meal frequency and adolescent perception of family relationship and compliance with parental guidance in Hong Kong. During the period from October to December 2016, a stratified random sample of 3359 students were recruited from 25 secondary schools in Hong Kong. Students completed questionnaires about family characteristics, relationship quality, and meal frequency by paper-and-pencil in class. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between family meal frequency and perceived family relationship and compliance with parental guidance overall and by subgroups. After adjusting for sociodemographic and school confounders, family breakfast and dinner frequency were significantly associated with adolescent compliance (breakfast: B = 0.07, p &lt; 0.001; dinner: B 0.07, p &lt; 0.001) and perception of family relationship (breakfast: B = 0.10, p &lt; 0.001; dinner: B = 0.25, p &lt; 0.001). Risk factors for infrequent family meals included older age, not born in Hong Kong, less educated fathers, and unmarried parents. Our findings support the associations of regular family meals with adolescent perception of high family bond and compliance with parental guidance. Interventions are needed to enhance quality family meal interactions in disadvantaged families

Nourishing Family Connections: Exploring the Impact of Mealtime Dynamics on Child Depressive Symptoms

Literature reviews show that the frequency of family meals is associated with increased positive health outcomes in children. Our study looked to find the essential characteristics that family mealtimes should have in order to produce the most beneficial outcomes for children regarding depressive symptomology. One hundred twenty-four children and their parents participated in answering surveys about individual and family health behaviors. We hypothesized that a greater frequency of family meals lowers levels of depression in children, especially if the child enjoys family meals. A moderation analysis was used to assess the moderation effects and relationship with the frequency of family meals, mealtime characteristics, and depression symptoms. Results of supplemental analyses showed that some individual symptoms of depression correlated with mealtime characteristics, with some negative correlations found between meal expectations, enjoyment, quality, and specific depression symptoms. The results from this study can help parents and families know what characteristics to focus on when having frequent family meals to help decrease depressive symptoms in children

Familial correlates of adolescent girls' physical activity, television use, dietary intake, weight, and body composition

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The family environment offers several opportunities through which to improve adolescents' weight and weight-related behaviors. This study aims to examine the cross-sectional relationships between multiple factors in the family environment and physical activity (PA), television use (TV), soft drink intake, fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, body mass index (BMI), and body composition among a sample of sociodemographically-diverse adolescent girls.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects included girls (mean age = 15.7), 71% of whom identified as a racial/ethnic minority, and one of their parents (dyad n = 253). Parents completed surveys assessing factors in the family environment including familial support for adolescents' PA, healthful dietary intake, and limiting TV use; parental modeling of behavior; and resources in the home such as availability of healthful food. Girls' PA and TV use were measured by 3-Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR) and dietary intake by survey measures. BMI was measured by study staff, and body fat by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Hierarchical linear regression models tested individual and mutually-adjusted relationships between family environment factors and girls' outcomes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the individual models, positive associations were observed between family support for PA and girls' total PA (p = .011) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (p=.016), home food availability and girls' soft drink (p < .001) and FV (p < .001) intake, and family meal frequency and girls' FV intake (p = .023). Across the individual and mutually-adjusted models, parental modeling of PA, TV, and soft drink and FV intake was consistently associated with girls' behavior.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Helping parents improve their physical activity and dietary intake, as well as reduce time watching television, may be an effective way to promote healthful behaviors and weight among adolescent girls.</p