Family Meals Promote Fruit, Vegetable Intake among Children

Children are always recommended to consume lots of fruits and vegetables for a healthy growth. However, lots of studies conducted earlier have pointed out that American children and teens are not meeting the recommended level of fruit and vegetable intake.

Solving this problem, a new study says, eating regularly with the family can help increase children's fruit and vegetable intake.

The findings come at a time when low fruit and vegetable consumption accounts for more than 1.7 million deaths worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption can increase the risks of developing a wide range of deadly diseases like cancer, heart diseases and strokes. The organization recommends consuming at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables a day.

To prove the link between family meals and fruits- vegetable consumption, researchers included more than 2000 primary school children, aged eight and studying in 52 schools in London.

Parents provided details about their children's dietary intake at home through a Child and Diet Evaluation Tool (CADET) questionnaire. Apart from that, parents were also asked to keep track of family meals and their fruit plus vegetable intake.

Results showed children taking 293 g of fruits and vegetables per day. Proving the importance of family meals, researchers found children who ate regularly with family consuming 125 g more fruits and vegetables every day compared to others.

Eating habits of parents were also found influencing their children. Children of parents who ate fruits and vegetables regularly were found eating 88 g more fruits and vegetables.

"The results from this study illustrate a positive health message for parents, which could improve their own dietary habits and their children's," authors, wrote in a news release. "The key message..is for families to eat fruit and vegetables together at a mealtime."

Findings of the study have been published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.