“Family meals curb girls eating disorder risk, but not in boys” by Rueters
In the following article, researchers correlated family meals with healthy eating habits in young adolescents. Dr. Nuemark from the University of Minnesota found that teen girls that ate one meal a day with their family throughout the week were one-third less likely to exhibit abnormal eating habits such as extreme dieting and bulimia. The simple act of eating together as a family provides an emotional shield against unrealistic weight management goals teenage girls all across the world struggle with. This article falls into two of the several family theories we have studied in class. The first theory, “Symbolic Interactionist Theory” focuses on how face to face interaction during meal time influences future behavior outside the home. The second, “Family Ecology Theory” on a micro level, examines interconnected behavior and roles that influence eating habits in both boys and girls (HDF slides, Family Theories).
There is only one study mentioned in the article that provides factual information about frequency of family meals and eating disorders. In order to make their conclusions valid, Dr. Nuemark and her colleagues analyzed the responses of Project EAT, a questionnaire geared towards both adolescent boys and girls in America. The researchers plan was to take the results of 1999 and 2004, analyze the total responses, and create a hypothesis of the responses. Dr. Nuemark hypothesized that study participants who reported eating more frequent family meals at the first assessment would be less likely to report disordered eating behavior five years later (Rueters). These researchers were pleased to find that the results were positively correlated in adolescent girls, but negatively correlated in adolescent boys. Why is that the case? How does increased mealtime decrease extreme weight control behavior in girls, yet increased these tendencies in boys? The only explanation or speculation researchers could come up with was that boys may be predisposed to eat unhealthy. A majority of past studies point out positive aspects of meal time and conversation, but note that not all families interact in a way that reinforces positive behavior. Researchers do take into account the children that come from dysfunctional families and how the absence of dinner negatively affects their social behavior.
This study relates to the “Symbolic Interactionist Theory” which explains that face to face contact provides the contextual part of what it means to be a family. Dinner time is great for strengthening the relationship with one another, communicating about daily events and school activities, expressing feelings about important adolescent issues a teen might have, addressing questions or concerns about future goals, and encouraging family routines. This theory however is partially useful in the sense that girls were the only ones to benefit from family time. The group members and I agree that this theory does not help to explain why boys are negatively affected. One member mentioned how the gender of a child may play a role in why these behaviors are different. Parents may talk to girls in a more encouraging voice than they would for boys. This article is also supported by the “Family Ecology Theory” in a way that the family performs many functions for its member’s essential development and mediates between the child and the other environments. Once again, in order to draw conclusions on parental influence, we must study the everyday norms that take place inside the home. What is being said during dinner time that provides such strong support on adolescent girls? How is it that this nuclear environment is the main focus of the questionnaire? The Ecology theory is what explains this correlation along with the Symbolic Interactionist Theory. Both theories provide information that the family is what makes a difference in teen’s future behavior.
The article only mentioned one research method which was Projects EAT (Eating Among Teens). The method of collecting data was by use of a questionnaire geared towards adolescent boys and girls. This study was conducted in 1999 and later in 2004 with a total of 2,516 people questioned. Dr. Nuemark then drew conclusions from that data which was mentioned in the above paragraph. The problem with this article is that not enough information is provided on the facts presented in the study. The fact that only a questionnaire was used does not accurately evaluate family behavior. One group member added that when teens fill out these forms, not all will answer honestly, or respond unfavorably due to a family fight the night before. Furthermore, Dr. Nuemark mentions that Health Care Professionals play a vital role in helping families structure their interactions in beneficial ways. This information is important in family role playing but the article doesn’t mention where this information came from. In addition, this information was taken at a single point in time.
There were a few issues that were noted by my group members, some of which I have included in previous paragraphs. The first methodological problem that came up was that using a questionnaire was not the best method to collect information about family behavior. The article mentions that the information was at a single point in time and relied on past recall. Past recall answers are never accurate because information is missing or forgotten. Some of the participants may answer the question in a more presentable way simply because the event is of the past. A better method of research would have been a cross-sectional study which would take the following information into consideration: ethnicity, socio economic status, and dysfunctional families. Taking dysfunctional families for instance could perhaps explain why meal time has a negative affect on boys. Secondly, a Naturalistic Observation would have been more appropriate. With this method, the family could be observed in its natural setting at home and their behaviors would be properly recorded using audio and video. Behavioral studies rarely rely on data taken from questionnaires. In conclusion, the frequency of meals eaten with family members is somewhat correlated with eating behaviors. With this article, correlation is not strongly associated with causation for the fact that boys and girls eating behaviors differ in the same situation.
Once again, the articles method of research is not the most appropriate, but does related to both family theories mentioned. Family plays an important role in the behavior of teens, and the way families communicate in their home environment is essential for the formation of a strong family. This article never mentioned whether these participants were part of a single parent family, cohabiting family, adopted family or household including extended family members. If placed in the position of the researcher, I would ask the following questions: “How might the experiment be changed to where both boys and girls would exhibit healthy eating habits for the remainder of their lives?” and “What traits of the family interactions were responsible for the girl’s healthy eating habits. Was there a reoccurring theme in the responses of boys that stated unhealthy eating habits?” For students in family science, these implications and application of the article show that eating dinner with your family five days a week is a healthy determinate for any adolescent girl. It also shows proof that this is not the case for boys of the same family.
“Family meals curb girls eating disorder risk, but not in boys” by Rueters
In the following article, researchers correlated family meals with healthy eating habits in young adolescents. Dr. Nuemark from the University of Minnesota found that teen girls that ate one meal a day with their family throughout the week were one-third less likely to exhibit abnormal eating habits such as extreme dieting and bulimia. The simple act of eating together as a family provides an emotional shield against unrealistic weight management goals teenage girls all across the world struggle with. This article falls into two of the several family theories we have studied in class. The first theory, “Symbolic Interactionist Theory” focuses on how face to face interaction during meal time influences future behavior outside the home. The second, “Family Ecology Theory” on a micro level, examines interconnected behavior and roles that influence eating habits in both boys and girls (HDF slides, Family Theories).
There is only one study mentioned in the article that provides factual information about frequency of family meals and eating disorders. In order to make their conclusions valid, Dr. Nuemark and her colleagues analyzed the responses of Project EAT, a questionnaire geared towards both adolescent boys and girls in America. The researchers plan was to take the results of 1999 and 2004, analyze the total responses, and create a hypothesis of the responses. Dr. Nuemark hypothesized that study participants who reported eating more frequent family meals at the first assessment would be less likely to report disordered eating behavior five years later (Rueters). These researchers were pleased to find that the results were positively correlated in adolescent girls, but negatively correlated in adolescent boys. Why is that the case? How does increased mealtime decrease extreme weight control behavior in girls, yet increased these tendencies in boys? The only explanation or speculation researchers could come up with was that boys may be predisposed to eat unhealthy. A majority of past studies point out positive aspects of meal time and conversation, but note that not all families interact in a way that reinforces positive behavior. Researchers do take into account the children that come from dysfunctional families and how the absence of dinner negatively affects their social behavior.
This study relates to the “Symbolic Interactionist Theory” which explains that face to face contact provides the contextual part of what it means to be a family. Dinner time is great for strengthening the relationship with one another, communicating about daily events and school activities, expressing feelings about important adolescent issues a teen might have, addressing questions or concerns about future goals, and encouraging family routines. This theory however is partially useful in the sense that girls were the only ones to benefit from family time. The group members and I agree that this theory does not help to explain why boys are negatively affected. One member mentioned how the gender of a child may play a role in why these behaviors are different. Parents may talk to girls in a more encouraging voice than they would for boys. This article is also supported by the “Family Ecology Theory” in a way that the family performs many functions for its member’s essential development and mediates between the child and the other environments. Once again, in order to draw conclusions on parental influence, we must study the everyday norms that take place inside the home. What is being said during dinner time that provides such strong support on adolescent girls? How is it that this nuclear environment is the main focus of the questionnaire? The Ecology theory is what explains this correlation along with the Symbolic Interactionist Theory. Both theories provide information that the family is what makes a difference in teen’s future behavior.
The article only mentioned one research method which was Projects EAT (Eating Among Teens). The method of collecting data was by use of a questionnaire geared towards adolescent boys and girls. This study was conducted in 1999 and later in 2004 with a total of 2,516 people questioned. Dr. Nuemark then drew conclusions from that data which was mentioned in the above paragraph. The problem with this article is that not enough information is provided on the facts presented in the study. The fact that only a questionnaire was used does not accurately evaluate family behavior. One group member added that when teens fill out these forms, not all will answer honestly, or respond unfavorably due to a family fight the night before. Furthermore, Dr. Nuemark mentions that Health Care Professionals play a vital role in helping families structure their interactions in beneficial ways. This information is important in family role playing but the article doesn’t mention where this information came from. In addition, this information was taken at a single point in time.
There were a few issues that were noted by my group members, some of which I have included in previous paragraphs. The first methodological problem that came up was that using a questionnaire was not the best method to collect information about family behavior. The article mentions that the information was at a single point in time and relied on past recall. Past recall answers are never accurate because information is missing or forgotten. Some of the participants may answer the question in a more presentable way simply because the event is of the past. A better method of research would have been a cross-sectional study which would take the following information into consideration: ethnicity, socio economic status, and dysfunctional families. Taking dysfunctional families for instance could perhaps explain why meal time has a negative affect on boys. Secondly, a Naturalistic Observation would have been more appropriate. With this method, the family could be observed in its natural setting at home and their behaviors would be properly recorded using audio and video. Behavioral studies rarely rely on data taken from questionnaires. In conclusion, the frequency of meals eaten with family members is somewhat correlated with eating behaviors. With this article, correlation is not strongly associated with causation for the fact that boys and girls eating behaviors differ in the same situation.
Once again, the articles method of research is not the most appropriate, but does related to both family theories mentioned. Family plays an important role in the behavior of teens, and the way families communicate in their home environment is essential for the formation of a strong family. This article never mentioned whether these participants were part of a single parent family, cohabiting family, adopted family or household including extended family members. If placed in the position of the researcher, I would ask the following questions: “How might the experiment be changed to where both boys and girls would exhibit healthy eating habits for the remainder of their lives?” and “What traits of the family interactions were responsible for the girl’s healthy eating habits. Was there a reoccurring theme in the responses of boys that stated unhealthy eating habits?” For students in family science, these implications and application of the article show that eating dinner with your family five days a week is a healthy determinate for any adolescent girl. It also shows proof that this is not the case for boys of the same family.
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