Family Meal Intervention for Cardiovascular Health

Overseen By Shannon Robson, PhD, MPH, RD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Delaware

Disqualifiers: Internet access, Growth-impacting condition, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

42 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Family Meals for cardiovascular health?

Research suggests that having frequent family meals is linked to healthier eating habits and lower body weight in both children and adults, which can contribute to better heart health. Family meals are associated with eating more fruits and vegetables and fewer unhealthy foods, potentially reducing the risk of obesity and related heart issues. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is participating in a family meal intervention generally safe for humans?

Research suggests that family meals are associated with positive health outcomes, such as better diet quality and lower obesity risk in children, indicating they are generally safe and beneficial. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

How does the Family Meal Intervention treatment differ from other treatments for cardiovascular health?

The Family Meal Intervention is unique because it focuses on increasing the frequency and quality of shared meals at home, which is associated with better dietary patterns and weight management, especially in youth. Unlike traditional treatments that might involve medication or dietary supplements, this approach emphasizes the social and communal aspects of eating together as a family to improve cardiovascular health. ^{1 2 4 8 9}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of family meal frequency as an intervention target in addressing the primary prevention of CVD.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for parents aged 18 or older with a child between 6-12 years old who isn't obese. The parent must have at least two CVD risk factors like smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, being overweight, or diabetes. They need to speak English and have internet access.

Inclusion Criteria

Parent is able to read, speak and understand English

My child is between 6-12 years old and has a healthy weight for their age and sex.

Parent reports at least 2 of the following CVD risk factors: smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, overweight/obesity, diabetes

Exclusion Criteria

I live with my child less than 5 days a week.

Parents who report a medical condition that impacts growth or requires a specific eating plan for themselves or their child.

Parents who do not have access to the internet and/or are unable to attend intervention sessions

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants engage in family meals with at least 5 dinners per week or consume recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables

6 months

Monthly check-ins

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in cardiovascular health indicators such as blood pressure, diet quality, and body mass index

4 months

Visits at Months 2, 6, 8, and 10

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Family Meals
• Standard

Trial Overview The study is testing if having family meals together can help prevent heart disease (CVD). It compares the effects of standard dietary advice against the practice of sharing meals as a family on cardiovascular health.

Participant Groups

Group I: Family Meals Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Have at least 5 dinners per week.

Group II: Standard Active Control 1 Intervention

Consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Delaware

Lead Sponsor

Trials

167

Recruited

25,700+

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Collaborator

Trials

2,896

Recruited

8,053,000+

Findings from Research

Research indicates that having more family meals is linked to healthier eating habits in youth, such as increased fruit and vegetable consumption and a lower risk of obesity.

While the current evidence suggests that family meals could improve dietary patterns and weight status, more rigorous prospective studies are needed to establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship with cardiovascular health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Family Meals and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Young Children. Robson, SM., Alvarado, AV., Baker-Smith, CM.[2023]

The HOME Plus intervention, which included 81 families with children aged 8-12, successfully promoted healthy eating and increased family meal participation through ten monthly sessions and motivational calls, achieving a high average attendance of 68%.

Families reported high satisfaction with the program, particularly enjoying cooking together and learning new healthy recipes, indicating that community-based interventions can effectively engage families in improving dietary quality and preventing obesity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

HOME Plus: Program design and implementation of a family-focused, community-based intervention to promote the frequency and healthfulness of family meals, reduce children's sedentary behavior, and prevent obesity. Flattum, C., Draxten, M., Horning, M., et al.[2018]

In a study of 1,779 parents from a nationally representative sample of 4,885 adults, it was found that more frequent family meals are linked to lower adult BMI, indicating a potential benefit for maintaining a healthy weight.

Additionally, lower quality family meals, characterized by distractions, were associated with higher adult BMI, suggesting that both the frequency and the quality of family meals are important for adult health outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The individual and combined influence of the "quality" and "quantity" of family meals on adult body mass index. Berge, JM., Wickel, K., Doherty, WJ.[2021]

Shared family meals are associated with healthier dietary patterns in children and adolescents, such as increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, based on evidence from 54 original studies and 11 reviews.

However, most of the evidence is cross-sectional, which limits the ability to determine causality, and there is insufficient evidence to support that interventions can effectively increase the frequency of shared meals or prevent childhood obesity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Diet and Health Benefits Associated with In-Home Eating and Sharing Meals at Home: A Systematic Review. Glanz, K., Metcalfe, JJ., Folta, SC., et al.[2021]

More frequent family meals are linked to healthier food choices and greater nutrient intake in children and adolescents, potentially reducing the risk of obesity and eating disorders.

The positive effects of family meals can be diminished by factors like consuming fast food, watching television during meals, or having a chaotic environment, highlighting the importance of a supportive mealtime atmosphere.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Come and get it! A discussion of family mealtime literature and factors affecting obesity risk. Martin-Biggers, J., Spaccarotella, K., Berhaupt-Glickstein, A., et al.[2023]

A study involving 120 families and 800 meals found that observing at least one weekday and one weekend family dinner is necessary to accurately assess meal healthfulness, highlighting the importance of capturing variability in meal types.

Collecting data over 3 to 4 days of family meals can effectively characterize typical weekly meal healthfulness, which can help streamline future research and reduce participant burden.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Days Needed to Characterize the Healthfulness of a Typical Dinner Meal in Direct Observational Research: Mixed Methods Study. Tate, A., Trofholz, A., Miner, M., et al.[2021]

A meta-analysis of 50 studies involving 49,137 participants found that specific components of family meals, such as turning off the TV and parental modeling of healthy eating, are positively associated with better nutritional health in children.

The strongest association was found with longer meal duration (r = .20), indicating that spending more time at the table can significantly benefit children's diet quality and BMI.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Quality matters: A meta-analysis on components of healthy family meals. Dallacker, M., Hertwig, R., Mata, J.[2020]

Regular family meals are linked to healthier eating habits and reduced obesity risk in children and adolescents, highlighting their importance in health promotion efforts.

Four out of six reviewed interventions successfully increased family meal frequency, using strategies like goal setting and interactive activities, while also identifying barriers such as time constraints and food preferences that future programs should address.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Promoting family meals: a review of existing interventions and opportunities for future research. Dwyer, L., Oh, A., Patrick, H., et al.[2022]

Family meals, particularly those consumed at home, are linked to better dietary quality in children and adolescents, as indicated by a study conducted in various Ontario and Nova Scotia classrooms during the 2005-2006 school year.

Diet quality worsens when meals are purchased outside the home or when meals are skipped, highlighting the importance of home-cooked meals and regular meal consumption for healthier eating habits.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of meal environment on diet quality rating. Woodruff, SJ., Hanning, RM.[2009]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Family Meals and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Young Children. [2023]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

HOME Plus: Program design and implementation of a family-focused, community-based intervention to promote the frequency and healthfulness of family meals, reduce children's sedentary behavior, and prevent obesity. [2018]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The individual and combined influence of the "quality" and "quantity" of family meals on adult body mass index. [2021]

4. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Diet and Health Benefits Associated with In-Home Eating and Sharing Meals at Home: A Systematic Review. [2021]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Come and get it! A discussion of family mealtime literature and factors affecting obesity risk. [2023]

6. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Days Needed to Characterize the Healthfulness of a Typical Dinner Meal in Direct Observational Research: Mixed Methods Study. [2021]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Quality matters: A meta-analysis on components of healthy family meals. [2020]

8. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Promoting family meals: a review of existing interventions and opportunities for future research. [2022]

9. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of meal environment on diet quality rating. [2009]