Girls that eat with their families are less likely to develop eating disorders, a study says.
New research shows girls who regularly have family meals are much less likely to adopt extreme weight control1such as vomiting (呕吐), using laxatives (泻药) or diet pills.
A study2more than 2500 American high school students found that girls who ate five or more family meals a week had a much healthier3with food in later life.
The research,4in international magazine Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, polled students aged 13 to 17 in 1999 who were followed up five years later. Regular family meals were found to have a protective effect5the girls' age, weight, socio-economic status, dieting habits or relationship with her family.
Experts say doctors should6families to have dinner at the table7on the couch in front of the television to keep away from serious eating disorders.
Belinda Dalton, director of eating disorders clinic The Oak House, said eating with family helped "normalize" young people's relationship with food.
"When the young are feeling that they're not treated properly or when they are feeling completely depressed, they8something that they can control and food is something9and accessible for them to control.10, if they're sitting with their family on a regular basis then their family can be more in11of their eating," Ms Dalton said. "It's about young people feeling12their family and that builds self-esteem and sense of13and that works very actively against someone developing an eating disorder."
An eating disorders expert, Kirsty Greenwood, said meal times were often difficult for sufferers. "It's typical that they feel very14of their eating habits and often won't eat with other people. Perhaps it's because they haven't15the importance of the family meal in their growing up," she said.
