Celebrate National Nutrition Month-Food Connects Us!
As a registered dietitian who grew up in an Italian household where food was central to every occasion from breakfast to bridal showers, I couldn’t be more excited about this year’s National Nutrition Month theme, “Food Connects Us”. National Nutrition Month officially kicks off in March.
National Nutrition Month began in 1973 as a week of celebration but grew to a full month of celebrating food and health in 1980. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, this theme “addresses that food is a connecting factor for many of us. Food connects us to our cultures, our families, and our friends.”
“Sharing a meal is an opportunity to learn about its preparation, who made it, and where the ingredients were sourced. Health, memories, traditions, seasons, and access can all impact our relationship with food. While these factors influence the foods we eat, the foods we eat also affect our health.” 1
Beyond meal planning, taking ‘thyme” for meals with friends or family has mental and physical health benefits. While busy families may feel the need to grab fast food or rush through meals, there are advantages to slowing down.
A recent randomized clinical control trial published in JAMA discovered that increasing family meal time by 10 minutes increased fruit and vegetable consumption compared to regular meal time duration. 2
In addition, family meal practice impacts fruit consumption in kids through modeling. A 2022 study published in Appetite compared three class models, C 1, C2, and C3. C1 included the least frequent family evening meals and the lowest scores for planning skills and routine mealtime. C2 included family meals at least four times per week (including fast food). C3 was the Frequent Family Evening Meals class. Researchers discovered that parents in C3 had higher intake of fruits and vegetables and children in C3 had lower percent body fat compared to those in the other classes. 3
Senior citizens may also benefit from sharing food and meals. It should come as no surprise that seniors who eat at community centers have better nutrient intake than those who don’t. A review published in 2024 found that men in particular had better nutrient exposure when having meals at a community or senior center. Eating together may also reduce isolation and loneliness in the elderly. 4
Sharing meals is also important to mental health. A recent study evaluating breakfast intake and family meals on common mental health disorders (depression, anxiety) in teens found that healthy dietary patterns such as eating breakfast sometimes or daily and having family dinner sometimes or nearly every day were linked with better mental health in adolescents. 5
In these divisive times, eating together is also important for conviviality- the act of making others feel welcome. The Mediterranean diet is popular for its health benefits, and because Mediterranean cultures celebrate preparing and sharing food with others. 6
Below are 5 tips for connecting with others through food:
· Engage your children and family members in shopping and preparing meals.
· Make time for at least 4 sit-down meals with your family each week.
· Invite a neighbor or friend to dinner who would otherwise be eating alone.
· Offer a cooking demo at a senior center, local church, or food pantry
· Volunteer to deliver meals for Meals on Wheels
Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD
References:
2. Dallacker M, Knobl V, Hertwig R, Mata J. Effect of Longer Family Meals on Children's Fruit and Vegetable Intake: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Apr 3;6(4):e236331. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.6331. PMID: 37010871; PMCID: PMC10071335.
3. Lee J, Friend S, Horning ML, Linde JA, Flattum C, Lindberg R, Fulkerson JA. Are patterns of family evening meal practices associated with child and parent diet quality and weight-related outcomes? Appetite. 2022 Apr 1;171:105937. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.105937. Epub 2022 Jan 16. PMID: 35045323; PMCID: PMC8892840.
4. Storz MA, Ronco AL. Diet quality in U.S. adults eating in senior and community centers: NHANES 2009-2018. J Nutr Health Aging. 2024 Nov;28(11):100379. doi: 10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100379. Epub 2024 Oct 1. PMID: 39357502.
5. Gratão LHA, Pessoa MC, Rodrigues da Silva TP, Rocha LL, Louise Cassimiro Inácio M, Resende Prado Rangel de Oliveira T, de Freitas Cunha C, Mendes LL. Dietary patterns, breakfast consumption, meals with family and associations with common mental disorders in adolescents: a school-based cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2022 May 16;22(1):980. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13367-7. PMID: 35578324; PMCID: PMC9109384.
6. Bernardi E, Visioli F. Fostering wellbeing and healthy lifestyles through conviviality and commensality: Underappreciated benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. Nutr Res. 2024 Jun;126:46-57. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.03.007. Epub 2024 Mar 21. PMID: 38613923.