Family Mealtime Environments of 11-12 Year-old Children in the Incheon Area

This study was performed to describe the perceptions of the family mealtime environment in preadolescents, and to determine the frequency of family meals and whether the mealtime environment is associated with nutrient intake. Surveys and 24-hour dietary recalls were completed by 197 children, ages 11 to 12, in elementary schools in the Incheon area. We assessed family meal frequency and the perceptions of the family meal environment with respect to priority, atmosphere, and family mealtime structure. The subject response frequencies and correlations among perceptions of the family mealtime environment, as well as the frequency of family meals and nutrient intake, were analyzed. Having a greater priority for family meals was associated with an increased frequency of family mealtimes. An enjoyable family meal environment was positively correlated with increases in nutrient intake. From the results of this study, we suggest that consideration be placed on opportunities to design nutrition promotion strategies that target families and their children, with respect to promoting family mealtimes and overcoming the barriers to having family meals.