Adolescents who eat with their family more often do better in school and are less likely to use drugs and alcohol and to have symptoms of depression or physical problems than those who ate with their family less often. Family meals appear to have important health benefits for teenagers, so it is important to encourage families to prioritise this activity to the extent possible. The benefits of family meals are well known. Besides providing children with routine and consistency, they also offer children an opportunity to learn about communication, manners, nutrition and good eating habits. But little research has looked at the possibility that family meals are simply a sign of a close family. Families that are more connected with each other are believed to be more likely to dine together, and that it is this connectedness that leads to healthier children. However, the current study has found that family meals seem to have an effect on teens' health independent of family closeness. Researchers from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, USA, did a study with more than 4,700 adolescents who were asked about how often they ate family meals as well as how close they felt to their parents. Almost 27 percent of teens said they ate at least seven meals a week with their families. About a third said they ate family meals once or twice a week or never. Even after researchers accounted for family closeness, family meals were related to several benefits to teens. The more family meals teens ate per week, the less often they used drugs, tobacco and alcohol. Family meals were also associated with fewer mental health problems, such as low self- esteem, depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. These teens also tended to do better in school. Family meals seemed to have the biggest impact on girls, although boys also benefited. The researchers suggested that one way that family meals may help teens stay out of trouble is by giving parents a chance to "check-in" with their children to notice any problems. source: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine , August 2004 & www.doctorndtv.com (06 August 2004)

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