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Marla E. Eisenberg, ScD, MPH; Rachel E. Olson, MS; Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, PhD, MPH, RD; Mary Story, PhD, RD; Linda H. Bearinger, PhD, MS

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004;158:792-796.

Objective  To determine the association between frequency of family meals and multiple indicators of adolescent health and well-being (tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use; academic performance; self-esteem; depressive symptoms; and suicide involvement) after controlling for family connectedness.

Methods  Data come from a 1998-1999 school-based survey of 4746 adolescents from ethnically and socioeconomically diverse communities in the Minneapolis/St Paul, Minn, metropolitan area. Logistic regression, controlling for family connectedness and sociodemographic variables, was used to identify relationships between family meals and adolescent health behaviors.

Results  Approximately one quarter (26.8%) of respondents ate 7 or more family meals in the past week, and approximately one quarter (23.1%) ate family meals 2 times or less. Frequency of family meals was inversely associated with tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use; low grade point average; depressive symptoms; and suicide involvement after controlling for family connectedness (odds ratios, 0.76-0.93).

Conclusions  Findings suggest that eating family meals may enhance the health and well-being of adolescents. Public education on the benefits of family mealtime is recommended.

From the Center for Adolescent Health and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School (Dr Eisenberg and Ms Olson), the Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Drs Eisenberg, Neumark-Sztainer, and Story), and the Center for Adolescent Nursing, School of Nursing (Ms Olson and Dr Bearinger), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

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