A recent study conducted by the University of Mannheim and the Max Planck Institute for Educational Research has discovered a simple trick that positively influences children’s eating habits. The study found that children in families who take more time for their meals consume more fruits and vegetables. The experiments involved 50 parents and 50 children, with an average age of 43 and eight years, respectively. The participants were served a typical German dinner consisting of bread, cold cuts, cheese, fruits, and vegetables. The study revealed that children ate significantly more fruits and vegetables when they sat at the table for an extra ten minutes. On average, they consumed an additional 100 grams of fruits and vegetables during the 30-minute dinner, which is equivalent to one of the five daily portions recommended by the German Nutrition Society.
According to Jutta Mata, a professor of health psychology, this finding has practical implications for public health, as an additional portion of fruits and vegetables daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by six to seven percent. Ralph Hertwig, the director of the Adaptive Rationality research department at the Max Planck Institute for Educational Research, explains that a meta-study published in the APA PsycNet journal in 2019 already provided evidence that the duration of family meals influences children’s nutrition. The study found that the duration of the meal is one of the central competencies of family meals that parents can vary to improve their children’s nutrition.
The study also found that longer family meals do not increase the consumption of bread, cold cuts, and dessert but only affect fruits and vegetables. The authors suggest that this is likely because the bite-sized pieces are more comfortable to eat and, therefore, more appealing to children. This study highlights the importance of taking time for family meals and providing a variety of fruits and vegetables to promote healthy eating habits in children.
