The Family Dinner Table

Research has proven that obesity has in part been caused by genetics. But is there more to the story? A recent sharp increase in America’s obesity rate might complete the puzzle.

Fact: Obesity is genetically made possible and environmentally made probable. If your children are genetically prone to obesity and they are placed in a fattening environment, obesity becomes inevitable.

The family dinner table is a place to nourish the body and the soul; yet in our fast paced society, it has become dusty in many homes. Through the years we have somehow allowed ourselves to abandon the social center of the home to fulfill our own personal agendas. This alone likely has greatly contributed to the demise of the American nuclear family most of us knew as children. Today’s lesson is devoted to revitalizing this tradition.

Dieters often cook a low-calorie, nutritious meal for themselves and then cook another meal for the rest of the family – a technique that makes little sense. By teaching your children how to eat healthy now, you establish a permanent reservoir of knowledge from which they can draw throughout their lives. Your children and spouse will also be healthier by eating the same nutrient-dense foods you choose for yourself.

Before you can give the gift of a healthy lifestyle to your children, you must first possess the knowledge and habits yourself. You cannot give nor pass on anything that you do not already have.

• One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is a healthy role model. Our children are never too old to be influenced by our behaviors. Dr. Charly Beily of the University of Mississippi Medical Center said children who watch their parents exercise regularly are six times more likely to do so themselves, and children whose parents eat a diet high in fat are three to six times more likely to prefer high-fat foods.
• An equally valuable gift is giving your children the knowledge to arm themselves against fad diets, false assumptions about food and poor eating habits.