Family Meal Frequency and Association with Household Food Availability in United States Multi-Person Households: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2010.

Sarah L Newman,Sarah E Anderson,Rebecca Andridge,Rachel Tumin,Chung-Jung Chiu

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0144330

Abstract

ObjectiveFamily meals are associated with a healthier diet among children and adolescents, but how family meal frequency varies in the U.S. population overall by household food availability and sociodemographic characteristics is not well characterized.DesignThe U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2010 assessed the frequency of family meals eaten at home in the past week and the household availability of fruits, dark green vegetables, salty snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages.SettingComputer-assisted face-to-face interviews with a selected adult (≥18 years) who owned or rented the home (i.e., the household reference person).SubjectsWe analyzed information on family meal frequency for 18,031 participants living in multi-person households in relation to sociodemographic characteristics and food availability.ResultsAmong the U.S. population living in households of two or more individuals, the prevalence (95% confidence interval) of having 0–2, 3–6 and ≥7 family meals/week was 18.0% (16.6–19.3), 32.4% (31.0–33.9), and 49.6% (47.8–51.4), respectively. Greater household availability of fruits and dark green vegetables and less availability of salty snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with more frequent family meals. Family meals were more prevalent in low-income households and those in which the reference person was ≥65 years, married, or had less than high school education.ConclusionsAbout half of the US population living in households of 2 or more people shares meals frequently with their family at home. Family meal frequency was positively associated with a healthier pattern of household food availability.

Highlights

Not without potential difficulties [1,2], family meals are increasingly promoted as a strategy for improving public health and preventing obesity [3,4,5]
Greater household availability of fruits and dark green vegetables and less availability of salty snacks and sugarsweetened beverages was associated with more frequent family meals
Meal frequency was positively associated with a healthier pattern of household food availability

Summary

Introduction

Not without potential difficulties [1,2], family meals are increasingly promoted as a strategy for improving public health and preventing obesity [3,4,5]. Research on family meals in adults, adults who are not parents of minor children, is limited [4,6,7]. In a large representative sample of Ohio adults surveyed in 2012, differences were found in family meal frequency relative to sociodemographic characteristics such as marital status, race/ethnicity, employment, and age, but little impact on family meal frequency was found for having minor children in the household [8]. Information about the prevalence and correlates of family meals among the U.S population has been previously reported [6,9]. Those estimates were based on telephone surveys of fewer than 1000 adults

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Conclusion