Sara K Fink1, Elizabeth F Racine2, Rebecca E Mueffelmann3, Megan N Dean4, Robert Herman-Smith5. 1. Iredell County Public Health Department, Statesville, NC. 2. Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC. Electronic address: efracine@uncc.edu. 3. Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC. 4. Health Promotion Program, Mecklenburg County Health Department, Charlotte, NC. 5. Department of Social Work, College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between diet quality and frequency of family meals throughout childhood and adolescence. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of children ages birth through 17 years (n = 1,992) using data from the 2010 North Carolina Child Health and Monitoring Program. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between family meals and fruit intake, vegetable intake, and sugar-sweetened beverage intake among younger children, older children, and adolescents. RESULTS: In adjusted analyses, participating in ≥ 5 family meals/wk was associated with less sugar-sweetened beverage intake among younger (OR 2.04; CI 1.06-3.93) and older children (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.27-3.55), greater vegetable intake among older children (OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.08-3.24) and adolescents (OR 1.81; 95% CI 1.14-2.88), and greater fruit intake among adolescents (OR 2.11; 95% CI 1.40-3.19). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Strategies to encourage families to establish regular family meals early in life and continue them throughout childhood and adolescence is warranted.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between diet quality and frequency of family meals throughout childhood and adolescence. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of children ages birth through 17 years (n = 1,992) using data from the 2010 North Carolina Child Health and Monitoring Program. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between family meals and fruit intake, vegetable intake, and sugar-sweetened beverage intake among younger children, older children, and adolescents. RESULTS: In adjusted analyses, participating in ≥ 5 family meals/wk was associated with less sugar-sweetened beverage intake among younger (OR 2.04; CI 1.06-3.93) and older children (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.27-3.55), greater vegetable intake among older children (OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.08-3.24) and adolescents (OR 1.81; 95% CI 1.14-2.88), and greater fruit intake among adolescents (OR 2.11; 95% CI 1.40-3.19). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Strategies to encourage families to establish regular family meals early in life and continue them throughout childhood and adolescence is warranted.
Authors: Catherine Rogers; Sarah E Anderson; Jamie S Dollahite; Tisa F Hill; Chris Holloman; Carla K Miller; Keeley J Pratt; Carolyn Gunther Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2017-01-09 Impact factor: 3.295