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October 11, 2008 11:20:03 PM CDT

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Eating Isn't Only Healthy Benefit of Family Dinner

Posted Feb 7, 08 1:18 PM CST in Arts & Living,  US 

(Newser) – Studies in the 1990s showed that regular family dinners made kids less likely to do drugs, smoke or have psychological problems, but a closer look now finds that it's what goes on during those meals—strong verbal interaction, parents showing interest in their children—that really counts in the youngsters' health and development, NPR reports.

The work of Vanderbilt University researcher David Dickinson spawned headlines that equated meals together with literacy skills, but he explains that it was in fact the stimulating conversations during meals with families already heavily engaged with reading that cemented the kids’ scholastic advantages. "Those interactions were very powerful," Dickinson said.

Source NPR

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"It's possible that some of these findings are occurring because the ability to organize a mealtime and come together may be just one indicator of a family that is intact and functional," Dickinson says.   (Shutterstock.com)
Correlation is not cause when it comes to the developmental benefits of the family dinner, and some researchers are trying to find out exactly what makes it work.   (Index Open)
Teaching conversation, cooperation and sometimes even table manners, most agree the family dinner helps social development and stems crime and substance abuse in the long-run. Pinpointing why, however,...   (Shutterstock.com)
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Family Breakfast with Robin Kline, Dietician   (dwjtelevision (YouTube))

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