INFLUENCES
Fruits and "Friends" don't mix. Families who watch TV during dinnertime may develop poor eating habits, putting kids at risk for obesity and its related physical and mental problems, new research suggests.
A Tufts University study, recently released by the American Academy of Pediatrics on its Web site, found that when families didn't separate eating from other activities, particularly watching TV, kids consumed fewer fruits and vegetables and more junk food and soda.
"It's really important that parents, no matter who they are, where they are or how stressed out they are, realize that eating is one of the most fundamental health-related behaviors we have," says the study's lead author, Katharine Coon, M.S., a research associate at Tufts. Cutting out the distractions and structuring every mealtime-away from the TV--is the best way to ensure that healthier foods make it to the table, she continues. "It doesn't have to be a fancy table and a three-course meal. Once parents separate and structure eating times, incorporating healthy foods becomes much simpler."
