By: Julianna DUrzo SYRACUSE, N.Y. NCC News — Family dinner time may lead to better long term mental health. Upstate University Hospital Psychiatrist Dr. Robert Gregory states mental health is complex but insists that family dinners can be effective.
“A very simple intervention that has shown to be helpful for families is to have a dinner hour where all the cellphones are turned off,” Dr. Gregory says.
Do you remember the last time that you had a family dinner? Dinner time is a rarity but should be a routine! According to a study by the Harvard’s Dinner Project, only half of the American families have dinner together. Dr. Gregory pushes family dinners to help with good mental health. He also stresses the importance of building relationships, having family support and participating in real conversations as a family.
“Just having a chance to connect to talk about what is going on is a rarity in today’s chaotic, fast-paced world.” Dr.Gregory says in one study “it has been shown to be a predictor of a good mental health down the road.”
An Emory University study shows that 70 percent of meals are eaten outside of American homes. Eating meals as a family collectively is a step in the right direction, one which can be even more helpful long term!
