Eating together as a family was always a priority for my parents. My siblings and I would sit down, at the same time, to enjoy dinner as often as our busy schedules permitted. Usually, my mom and dad made us turn off the TV in an effort to get us focusing on the food and on the family.
However, a new study released by the University of Minnesota and reported in the New York Times shows that the television doesn't play a role in affecting dining habits. According to the article, the results were quite surprising:
Families who watched TV at dinner ate just about as healthfully as families who dined without it. The biggest factor wasn’t whether the TV was on or off, but whether the family was eating the meal together.
The study also showed that girls are less likely to have body image problems and boys consume more vegetables when eating accompanied by their parents.
All of this makes me wonder, how often do you eat with your family? Did you eat with your parents when you were little? If so, was the TV on or off?