How Important is Eating around the Table?

Dinners around the table seem to be a thing of the past. It is not uncommon for families to be committed to multiple evening activities on any given night. On the rare occasion that meals are eaten at home, where does your family eat? Watching television or playing on electronic devices while eating can lead to bad habits from a young age. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that children between the ages of 8-18 spend an average of 4.5 hours watching TV daily. Eating with distractions, such as television, puts individuals at a greater risk for developing obesity. Why? This is because you are distracted from listening to your body’s satiety clues. According to the CDC, “TV viewing is a contributing factor to childhood obesity because it may take away from the time children spend in physical activities; lead to increased energy intake through snacking and eating meals in front of the TV; and, influence children to make unhealthy food choices through exposure to food advertisements.” The good news is that better habits only take 21 days to form. In order to prevent overeating, it is important to focus on what food goes into your body. Simply put, anytime you eat, it should be at a table free from distractions. Start your new dinner habit TODAY! Call KNH for some helpful strategies for making meal time better for the entire family.