✨Benefits of Family Meals ✨✨

🤎Conversation, togetherness, relationship building, and healthful eating are just a few of the benefits family mealtimes provide. 

🤎In the United States today, 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese, putting them at an increased risk for a multitude of short- and long-term health consequences. 

🤎These health consequences span beyond physical health and can affect psychosocial or developmental factors in childhood as well. 

🤎Family mealtimes provide an environment that has been found to have a protective effect on both physical and psychosocial factors. 

💥💥In fact, the evidence is strong enough that the American Academy of Pediatrics Expert Committee has included the encouragement of regular family mealtimes in their childhood obesity prevention and treatment recommendations.

🤎Family mealtimes are a great opportunity to improve the physical, social, and developmental health of children.

💥💥Studies show that children who share three or more family meals per week are more likely to have a healthy weight and a healthier diet than those who share fewer than three family meals. 

🤎In addition, children who take part in family meals also decrease their risk for tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use, low grade point average, depressive symptoms, teen pregnancy, and eating disorders. 

🤎Overall, family meals lead to higher self-esteem and a greater sense of resilience—or ability to bounce back from hardships—in children. At the family level, these shared meals create a sense of togetherness and generally improve family relationships.

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