Meals around the family dinner table is something many health
professionals have been trying to push these days, considering
numerous studies in the past have linked the activity to children
eating more nutritious foods and getting quality face-time with
their parents and siblings.
But according to a University of Illinois scientist, eating meals
together as a family could be even more beneficial for children
suffering from chronic asthma, as long as those meals contain three
ingredients in the right amounts.
Which three ingredients make such a big difference? Fiese said it’s as easy to remember as ABC:
- Action, which includes eliminating such distractions as cell phones and the TV;
- Behavior control, which involves discipline that isn't harsh and also teaches manners; and
- Communication that shows genuine interest and concern about what's going on in each others' lives.
And, because any good recipe is specific about the amounts of
each ingredient, Fiese has issued some guidelines.
"Communication is by far the most important ingredient. The average
family meal takes 18 minutes, and I'd allot about 2 minutes to
action, 4 minutes to behavior control, and 12 minutes to positive
communication that affirms kids' importance, helps them resolve
troublesome issues, and reminds them to take their medicine or
write a thank-you note," she said.
Questionnaires
Caregivers filled out a questionnaire assessing the severity of
the child's symptoms, and a respiratory therapist checked the kids'
lung functioning. The researchers controlled for adherence to
medication.
The kids filled out a 23-item asthma-specific questionnaire
assessing their quality of life, rating such items as the degree to
which they worried about their symptoms and how well they were able
to take part in everyday activities.
"When children were part of families that 'followed the recipe,'
their asthma symptoms were less severe and they were more apt to
take their medicine. They also tended to worry less about their
symptoms, and they were able to engage more fully in activities at
school and after school," said Fiese.
And when mealtimes had more distractions, Fiese said the
children’s asthma symptoms were more pronounced.
"In families headed by a single parent or when the primary
caregiver had less education, we found that mealtimes contained
more disruptions, including watching TV and talking on cell phones,
and less time talking about the day's events. If there's a lot of
confusion, it's hard for family members to follow conversations,"
she said.
Single parents and those with less education also spent more time
controlling behavior and were likely to use harsher methods to
restore order to the family table.
However, being a single parent or having lower levels of education
doesn’t necessarily cause more disruptions during
mealtimes, but rather the disruptions could stem from
families having fewer resources, having more difficulty managing
their time, and needing more assistance.
Thrive on routine
According to Fiese, children thrive on routine, and disorganized
meals are related to poorer health for the children who participate
in them. These children are believed to be at highest risk for
poorly controlled asthma and are most likely to use the emergency
room for health care.
"We need to pay attention to the chronic stress that compromises
health in low-income families that have few resources," she
said.
Fiese notes recent research suggesting poor organization -- a lot
of chaos in the family environment -- disrupts learning and
predicts poor social and emotional development.
"Family mealtimes that follow these ABC guidelines are an important
ritual that parents can use to counter that trend," she said.
The study was published in the January/February 2011 issue of Child Development.
Co-authors are Marcia A. Winter of the University of Rochester Medical Center and Joanna C. Botti of Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York.
