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Diet and Health Benefits Associated with In-Home Eating and Sharing Meals at Home: A Systematic Review

Author

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  • Karen Glanz

    (Perelman School of Medicine and School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA)

  • Jessica J. Metcalfe

    (Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61820, USA)

  • Sara C. Folta

    (Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA)

  • Alison Brown

    (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA)

  • Barbara Fiese

    (Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61820, USA)

Abstract

In-home and shared meals have been hypothesized to have positive effects. This narrative review examines research on the influence of in-home eating on diet quality, health outcomes, and family relationships. A combination search approach included a search of PubMed, backward searches of previous published reviews, and studies the authors were familiar with. A search identified 118 publications; 54 original studies and 11 review studies were included in this review. Each study was reviewed and summarized. The diverse designs precluded quantitative data synthesis. Relatively strong evidence from cross-sectional research supports the association of shared family meals with favorable dietary patterns in children and adolescents, including consumption of fruits, vegetables, and healthful nutrients. Correlational evidence links shared meals with health and psychosocial outcomes in youth, including less obesity, decreased risk for eating disorders, and academic achievement. Most evidence is cross-sectional, thus, limiting attribution of causality. There is insufficient evidence to conclude that interventions improve the frequency of shared meals, improve diet, or prevent child obesity. Despite the “common wisdom”, the evidence that in-home, shared meals, per se, have positive effects on diet quality, health outcomes, psychosocial outcomes, and family relationships is limited due to weak research designs and single-item measurement of the independent variable. More research, with stronger designs, is warranted.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Glanz & Jessica J. Metcalfe & Sara C. Folta & Alison Brown & Barbara Fiese, 2021. "Diet and Health Benefits Associated with In-Home Eating and Sharing Meals at Home: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-19, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1577-:d:495234
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ramey, Valerie A., 2009. "Time Spent in Home Production in the Twentieth-Century United States: New Estimates from Old Data," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 69(1), pages 1-47, March.
    2. Fiese, Barbara H. & Hammons, Amber & Grigsby-Toussaint, Diana, 2012. "Family mealtimes: A contextual approach to understanding childhood obesity," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 365-374.
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    2. Ryan, Rebecca M. & Gassman-Pines, Anna & Steimle, Samantha & Baker, Garrett & Hines, Caitlin T. & Johnson, Anna D., 2023. "The role of public and private food assistance in supporting families’ food security and meal routines," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    3. Maína Ribeiro Pereira-Castro & Adriano Gomes Pinto & Tamila Raposo Caixeta & Renata Alves Monteiro & Ximena Pamela Díaz Bermúdez & Ana Valéria Machado Mendonça, 2022. "Digital Forms of Commensality in the 21st Century: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-22, December.
    4. Jia, Jun-Jun & Zhu, Mengshu & Wei, Chu, 2022. "Household cooking in the context of carbon neutrality: A machine-learning-based review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).

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