Also, providing bite-sized fruits and vegetables may have made it easier for children to eat at leisure, the researchers said.
The extra portion is about 100 grams (2/3 cup), or the equivalent of one medium apple, research says. In this experiment, the researchers said he gained 50% more extra 10 minutes of time than the 20 minutes that participants normally spend on dinner.
“We need to explore new ways to extend family meals so that everyone enjoys their meals and spends extra time nibbling on extra fruits and vegetables,” said the co-authors of the study. Jutta MataProfessor of Health Psychology at the University of Mannheim, Associate Researcher At the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin. The research, a collaboration between the two institutions, is published in JAMA Network Open.
Increased consumption of this nutritious food could have “substantial public health implications,” Mata said. increases. cancer and cardiovascular disease.
“This study helps counter the myth that children don’t like fruits and vegetables.” Bonnie Liebman, Director of Nutrition at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, was not involved in the research. “Children are very happy to eat fruits and vegetables.”
Longer mealtimes led to healthier eating
New research built before research The authors evaluated dozens of previous studies to determine what factors pushed children toward healthier foods during family dinners.
Analyzes found that turning off the TV, encouraging parents to model healthy eating, including children in the preparation and serving of high-quality meals, creating a “positive” atmosphere, and taking time to eat It was helpful to add
Meal length had the strongest effect. However, “it was not clear whether increasing family meal times really had an impact on healthy nutrition, or whether this impact was actually due to something else.
The current study, conducted between November 2016 and May 2017, focuses only on additional time effects.
50 parent-child “pairs” with children ages 6-11 – one child and one parent – in a “neutral and friendly” room with table, two chairs, food and video equipment I ate two meals a week. A ceiling focused on each of the two participants, Mata said.
Mata said he was not told the exact purpose of the study, only that the researchers were interested in “developing a better understanding of family diets.”
They had a typical German dinner of sliced bread, ham and cheese, bite-sized vegetables and fruits.Dessert was chocolate pudding or fruit yogurt and cookies. The kids also had water and one sugary drink.
Each family had dinner in both the 20-minute and 30-minute conditions, and researchers compared each family’s experience. “The only difference between the two laboratory diets was the duration,” he says Mata.
Because the participants did not know the specific intent of the study, the researchers did not tell them how long they had to eat. Participants were told only the time to bring the dessert to the table so that the time difference would not be noticeable.
Easy to eat bite-sized
Bite-size portions may have made it easier to eat healthier foods, but researchers say time is a key factor in eating more.
The children ate no extra bread or cold cuts during the extended meal, and ate only fruits and vegetables. No, Mata said he ate more only during longer meals.The meat and cheese were not cut.
“One way to think about this is that healthy eating is the result of opportunities to do so,” she said. They provided time and food, such as making fruits and vegetables easy to eat.
The researchers stressed that “bite-sized fruits and vegetables increase fruit and vegetable consumption in the context of longer family meals,” emphasizing the importance of eating together longer. “It’s unclear whether letting children sit alone at the table for 10 minutes longer will increase their fruit and vegetable intake,” Mata said.
Interestingly, children ate extra vegetables early in their meals and extra fruits at the end. I suspect that it may have been viewed as
Results may vary by lab. “I don’t know how long this effect will last at the family table,” Mata said. There was no limit,” she said.
Promote healthy eating
Girls and boys ages 4 to 8 need 1 to 1 1/2 cups of fruit and 1 1/2 cups of vegetables daily. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionGirls and boys ages 9 to 13 need 1.5 cups of fruit. According to the CDC, a girl aged 9 to her 13 eats 2 cups of vegetables daily, and a boy that age she needs 2.5 cups.
In this study, children who ate more fruits and vegetables at dinner consumed a total of about 350 grams, or four servings. For apples, this equates to about 2 ⅓ cups, she said.
“Research shows very practical and pragmatic ways for parents to encourage healthy eating with their children.” Anne FishelFounder and Executive Director of family dinner projecta Harvard-based group that aims to promote the health and social benefits of family dinnertime.
Marlene Schwartzthe director of Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health A doctor from the University of Connecticut said the findings underscore the need to develop healthy eating habits early.
“How you eat as a child lays the foundation for how you eat throughout your life,” says Schwartz, though that’s also not part of the study. It supports the idea that enjoying meals together definitely impacts nutrition and has many other positive effects as well.”
“The longer you eat, the longer it may take your brain to realize that your body is full,” he says. Donald Hensrud, a nutrition and weight management expert at the Mayo Clinic. He was also not in the study. “More vegetables and fruits can make you feel more full,” he said.
How to maximize meal times
Studies show that regular family dinners are good for your health. brain, body and mental health youth’s adult. other the study Indicated The longer school lunches are, the more healthy children eat and the less food is wasted.
However, not everyone can afford to eat longer. Busy schedules, conflicting work shifts, and pressure from homework and extra-curricular activities make this difficult. Still, if the family can achieve longer meal times, it’s worth it, Mata said.
Fischel suggested a few ways to make mealtime more enjoyable.
- Parents can play games with their children or let angry children hold “fidget” toys at the table.
- Children can help with cooking, serving and cleaning up.
- Prepare vegetables the way your child likes them. For example, roast them so that they are not slimy, diced, or shredded.
- Also, don’t forego dessert if you’re not comfortable eating something healthy. She said this only makes the vegetables less desirable and the desserts more desirable.
“Kids will want to stay longer when the atmosphere is fun, relaxing, and playful,” she said. It will be a reward in itself.”
Questions about healthy eating? Email [email protected] I may answer your question in a future column.
