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Family Dinners Can Promote Healthy Eating Habits in Teens: Study

Family dinners can promote healthy eating habits among teenagers.

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Teenagers and young adults having dinner together with their families are more likely to have healthier eating habits than those who eat alone, a new study has revealed.

The researchers found that when families sit down together, adolescents and young adults eat more fruits and veggies and consume fewer fast-food.

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According to lead researcher Kathryn Walton, post-doctoral researcher at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, Canada:

It’s a time when families can slow down from their busy days to talk, spend time together and problem-solve. It’s also a time that parents can model healthful eating behaviours.

The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that preparing and enjoying a meal together can also help families bond and the meal does not have to be a big drawn-out affair.

Jess Haines, Professor from the University of Guelph in Canada, said:

Even if it’s something you pull out of the freezer, add a bagged salad on the side and you’ll have a decent nutritional meal.

Walton said many teenagers and young adults living at home are busy with evening extracurricular activities or part-time jobs, making it hard to find time for dinner with family members.

But finding that time once a day - even if it's breakfast together - can be just as effective, the researcher said.

For the study, the team looked at more than 2,700 participants, 14 to 24 years of age.

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)

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Topics:  Dinner   Healthy Eating 

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