Family dinner meal frequency and adolescent development: relationships with developmental assets and high-risk behaviors
Abstract
Purpose To examine associations between family meal frequency and developmental assets and high-risk behaviors among a national sample of adolescents.Methods Anonymous surveys were distributed to 99,462 sixth to 12th grade students from public and alternative schools in 213 cities and 25 states across the United States. Logistic regression analyses tested differences in assets and high-risk behaviors by family dinner frequency.Results Consistent positive associations were found between the frequency of family dinners and all developmental assets, including both external (e.g., support, boundaries and expectations; odds ratio [OR] 2.1-3.7) and internal assets (e.g., commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity; OR 1.8-2.6); relationships were attenuated, but remained significant after adjusting for demographics and general family communication and support. Consistent inverse relationships were found between the frequency of family dinners and all high-risk behaviors measured (i.e., substance use, sexual activity, depression/suicide, antisocial behaviors, violence, school problems, binge eating/purging, and excessive weight loss; OR .36-.58), relationships were attenuated, but remained significant after adjusting for demographics and family factors.Conclusions The findings of the present study suggest that the frequency of family dinner is an external developmental asset or protective factor that may curtail high-risk behaviors among youth. Creative and realistic strategies for enhancing and supporting family meals, given the context within which different families live, should be explored to promote healthy adolescent development. Family rituals such as regular mealtimes may ease the stress of daily living in the fast-paced families of today's society.
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Family dinner frequency has been inversely correlated with youth risk taking, with particularly robust outcomes for adolescent girls.
“In prior evaluations, family dinner frequency has been inversely correlated with youth risk taking (Fulkerson et al., 2006), with particularly robust outcomes for adolescent girls (Griffin et al., 2000).”
From Assessment of culture and environment in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study: Rationale, description of measures, and early data (2018) · cites this paper as Fulkerson et al., 2006
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- Authors
- Fulkerson, J. A., Story, M., Mellin, A., Leffert, N., Neumark-Sztainer, D., & French, S. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Fielding Graduate University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Adolescent Health
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-09
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 337-345
- ISSN
- 1054-139X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2059016004
- Cited by
- 398
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 38 · 2012: 29
- FWCI
- 22.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Adolescent Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Health and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
- Keywords
- family meals, adolescent development, developmental assets, high-risk behaviors, substance use, adolescent sexual activity, antisocial behavior, family communication, family rituals, protective factors, adolescent eating disorders
- MeSH terms
- Achievement, Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Alcohol Drinking, Feeding and Eating Disorders, Ceremonial Behavior, Eating, Family, Female, Humans, Male, Parent-Child Relations, Risk-Taking, Role, Self Concept, Social Behavior, Socialization, Socioeconomic Factors, United States, Logistic Models
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