How to Lose Weight Series - Habit 12
- Pooja
- Jun 20, 2018
- 5 min read
Updated: May 21, 2019
“Health is much more dependent on our habits and nutrition than on medicine.”
- John Lubbock
There is truth to the maxim that “food tastes better when you eat it with your family.” Some of you might wonder how eating food with the family on a dinner table has any connection to health, wellness and weight loss. Incidentally, there is a connection and a strong one at that.
Scientific facts that establish - eating food with family improves mental health, physical health, general well being and weight loss as well.
I. Physical health:
- Families that eat together make better food choices. One study from Stanford University reported that kids who eat family dinners are less likely to grub on fried food and saturated fats, while seeking out stuff like fruits and veggies.
- Greater consumption of healthy foods:The L.E.A.D. (Locate, Evaluate, and Assemble Evidence to Inform Decisions) framework of the Institute of Medicine guided the assembly of trans-disciplinary evidence for this comprehensive, updated review of family meal research, conducted with the goal of informing continued work in this area. The study shows that more frequent family meals are associated with greater consumption of healthy foods in children, adolescents, and adults.
- Lowers Body Mass Index: Additionally, research from the American Society For Nutrition found that young children who ate at home with families had a lower body mass index than kids who did not. That’s most likely due to the fact that home cooking is healthier than restaurant meals which boast larger portion sizes and higher calorie counts.
- Decrease risk of overweight or obesity: Adolescents and children who consume fewer family meals consume more unhealthy food. School-aged children and adolescents who consume more family meals have greater intakes of typically underconsumed nutrients. Increased family meal frequency may decrease risk of overweight or obesity in children and adolescents.
II. Improved Mental health:
-Less likely to experience depression:One study published in the journal Paediatrics, found that kids who regularly enjoyed family meals were less likely to experience symptoms of depression and less likely to get into drug use.
-Protect against eating disorders and negative health behaviours: Frequent family meals also may protect against eating disorders and negative health behaviours in adolescents and young adults. Psychosocial benefits include improved perceptions of family relationships. However, the benefits of having a family meal can be undermined if the family consumes fast food, watches television at the meal, or has a more chaotic atmosphere.
-Emotionally strong: Research examining 5,000 teenagers has shown that when children eat with their parents regularly, they are more likely to be emotionally strong and have better mental health. Teens who ate regular family meals were also more likely to be adjusted, have good manners and communication skills. This effect is not restricted to the children - mothers who ate with their families often were also found to be happier and less stressed as compared to mothers who did not.
- Reduce stress in adults: If you have a demanding job, finding time to eat with your family may actually leave you feeling less stressed. In 2008, researchers at Brigham Young University conducted a study of IBM employees and found that sitting down to a family meal helped working moms reduce the tension and strain from long hours at the office.
- Releases love hormone: Need one last reason to dine as a group? How about the fact that it can flood your body with happy chemicals? Sharing meals with loved ones releases oxytocin (better known as the love hormone). No wonder Psychology Today lists eating together as a top-10 way to boost good feelings.
III. Losing weight:
- Lowers obesity: If you’re trying to lose weight, you’re probably focusing on what you eat, rather than where and how you eat it. But according to a new Ohio State University study, the structure of your meals may be even more important than how often you eat them. After surveying more than 12,800 Ohio residents who reported eating at least one family meal in the week before their interview, researchers found that people who never watched television or videos during their meals had 37 percent lower odds of obesity compared to people who always stayed glued to their screens during dinnertime.
- Lowers stress induced eating: According the Harvard Mental Health, there is much truth behind the phrase "stress eating." Stress, the hormones it unleashes, and the effects of high-fat, sugary "comfort foods" push people toward overeating. Researchers have linked weight gain to stress, and according to an American Psychological Association survey, about one-fourth of Americans rate their stress level as 8 or more on a 10-point scale.
-Stress through the day may be eased out, when food is consumed in a relaxed atmosphere in the presence of people you trust making you less susceptible to eat unhealthy meals or overeat and cause weight gain.
- So, eating together as a family is one of the most important methods to combat stress and eating disorders, allowing your family to support you through the combat process.
IV. General Wellbeing:-
Better grades in school:
Studies have proven that there’s a significant link between family dinners and academic performance. A report by CASA found that teens who have between five and seven family dinners per week were twice as likely to report receiving mostly A’s and B’s in school, compared to those teens who have fewer than three family dinners per week. In addition, only 9% of teens who ate frequently with their families did poorly in school, according to the report.
Eating at home saves money:
In 2007, the average household spent $3,465 on meals at home, and $2,668 on meals away from home, according to the national Consumer Expenditure Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Per meal, that’s about $8 per meal outside of the home, and only about $4.50 per each meal made in your own kitchen.
Helps communication:
Research from North Dakota State University reported that sharing a family meal helps keep communication flowing. “Children can learn from parents and grandparents about what values are important to the family.
It's a Time to Thank God:
Spending time together at dinner also means giving thanks for friends and family. It can be a time to reconnect with God through prayer and offer thanksgiving after a hard day or week. There is no fancy way to collectively engage in prayer. Be yourself. Ask others to join in and you might find there is a sense of peace when you reflect on your blessings. Make up a prayer, and speak from the heart. This is what matters the most. If there are children, ask them what their prayer requests are, and unite with them. Praying brings people together and the dinner table is not exempt from this.
Now, that there are so many advantages enumerated above, so am honestly hoping that your going to allow your rational mind to take control and not give way to fickle emotions by ditching the TV, laptop, phone or whatever gadget to sit at the table with the family and re-connect with your family and relish your food.
Would love to hear from you of the benefits this habit has brought back into your life.
Please feel free to share your testimonial to encourage others to embrace the way of wellness.
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