According to a new study, there is a "direct relationship between the nutritional status of children and the person who prepares their meal."
A new study by researchers at the University of Granada concluded that eating at home rather than grabbing food on-the-go or at restaurants can prevent childhood obesity. In fact, there is a “significant direct relationship between the nutritional status of children and the person who prepares their meal.”
The study’s participants were 718 public and private school students in Spain between the ages of nine and 17. Out of the children surveyed, those whose mothers prepared their lunches were much less likely to be obese than those who had lunch prepared by someone outside the family.
While the benefits of home-cooked meals have long been known, this study’s strong conclusion adds to an ever-growing body of research that links convenience food with the serious problem of childhood obesity.
Tips for busy families
What family isn’t busy? Between juggling multiple jobs, daycare, school, and extra-curricular activities, saying that it can be difficult to get a home-cooked meal on the table three times a day is an understatement. However, these tips for breakfast, lunch, and dinner might help.