Two Nutritional Health Studies Released

Posted by on January 15, 2007

A couple of studies released this month related to family eating have been drawing headlines recently.

The first, Adult Fat Intake Associated with the Presence of Children in Households published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, has gotten the most press. This study finds that the presence of children in a home increases the likelihood of higher total fat and saturated fat consumption by parents. Specifically, parents living with children ages 17 and under consumed total of about 5 more grams of fat per day than the adults living without children. Although these results were found to be significant, the total grams of fat consumed by these adults (91 grams for those with children the 86.5 grams of those without children) is still over 20 grams more than the recommended limit for a 2000-calorie diet, which is 65 grams or less of fat per day.

The second, Television Watching and Frequency of Family Meals Are Predictive of Overweight Onset and Persistence in a National Sample of School-Aged Children published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, discussed the relationship between TV watching, family meals, and safe neighborhoods on the weight of 8000 children between kindergarten and third grade. Not surprisingly, the researchers found that the children who watched more television and ate fewer family meals were more likely to be overweight by first grade. Those who watched more television, ate fewer family meals and lived in neighborhoods perceived by their parents as less safe for outdoor play were more likely to be overweight from kindergarten on.

The results of both studies indicate the interdependence of family members on one another?s eating habits. Coordinated nutrition education efforts may ameliorate eating practices in homes, especially when parents? budgets are limited and schedules are tight.

To read the abstract, Adult Fat Intake Associated with the Presence of Children in Households, please visit:

http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/content/abstract/20/1/9

(A recent editorial on the subject is also listed below.)

To read the abstract, Television Watching and Frequency of Family Meals Are Predictive of Overweight Onset and Persistence in a National Sample of School-Aged Children, please visit:

http://www.adajournal.org/article/PIIS0002822306022826/abstract