From Your Health Journal…..”A great article recently by KVUE, an ABC TV affiliate about spending just 3 extra minutes at the dinner table to help lower childhood obesity. Research from the University of Illinois looked at ways lower-income families could help their kids achieve and maintain a healthy weight. They discovered family mealtimes together could be linked to the kid’s weight. The results show that families who have a positive attitude about mealtimes together and consider it an important part of family life, were less likely to have obese or overweight children. Talking and interacting together also seemed to contribute to the children’s healthier weight. These findings are very interesting, as every little contribution to children’s health is important. Please visit the ABC site (link provided below) to read the complete article.”

From the article…..

Could spending three more minutes at the dinner table really help lower childhood obesity? According to a new study published in the journal Economics and Human Biology, more time equals less weight.

Scientists at the University of Illinois looked at ways low-income families could help their kids achieve and maintain a healthy weight. They discovered family mealtimes together could be linked to the kid’s weight.

The study involved 200 family mealtimes. Children who regularly sat down and had their meals with the family were more likely to have a normal weight than those who cut mealtimes short. Even three minutes more at the table had an impact.

“Children whose families engaged with each other over a 20-minute meal four times a week weighed significantly less than kids who left the table after 15 to 17 minutes. Over time, those extra minutes per meal add up and become really powerful,” study author Barbara Fiese, director of the University of Illinois’ Family Resiliency Program, said in a statement.

The findings suggest that families who have a positive attitude about mealtimes together and consider it an important part of family life, were less likely to have obese or overweight children. Behaviors such as talking and interacting together also seemed to contribute to the children’s healthier weight.

Flese noted that teaching low-income families how to make the most of mealtimes together was worthwhile in helping families make the necessary changes needed to combat obesity.

“This is something we can target and teach. It’s much more difficult to change such factors as marital status, maternal education, or neighborhood poverty,” she said.

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