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Middleton G, Golley RK, Patterson KA, Coveney J. Barriers and enablers to the family meal across time; a grounded theory study comparing South Australian parents' perspectives. Appetite 2023; 191:107091. [PMID: 37865298 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Family meals are positively associated with numerous beneficial health and social outcomes. Current discourse however claims that parents are faced with numerous barriers when trying to bring the family together to share a meal. Solutions for overcoming barriers to a positive shared family meal are often individualistic and do not address the systemic pressures and burdens families have faced for decades. The aim of this study was to explore the systemic and novel barriers and enablers to shared family meals as experienced by families across time. To achieve this, a qualitative study informed by grounded theory was conducted. Parents of South Australian families were recruited and interviewed in the 1990s, and a new sample of parents were recruited and interviewed in 2020. Transcripts were analysed using grounded theory and comparative analysis methods. Thirty-two parents from 16 families were interviewed in the 1990s, and 22 parents from 10 families in 2020. Ten factors were identified presenting as either enablers or barriers to the family meal, depending on the context they were experienced. Barriers and enablers were largely consistent across time. Scheduling and flexibility, children's disruptions and children's independence, privileges required to have family meals and motivation and commitment to the family meal were identified as persistent enablers and barriers across time. These findings indicate that parents are faced with similar challenges they have been facing for decades and are still not being adequately supported to execute family meals regularly. Recognising that factors present as either barriers or enablers to the family meal provides us with opportunities to transform barriers to enablers and support families to have regular, meaningful family meals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Middleton
- Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
| | - Rebecca K Golley
- Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Karen A Patterson
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - John Coveney
- Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Middleton G, Golley RK, Patterson KA, Coveney J. The family meal, a ritual frozen in time; an Australian grounded theory study. Health Promot Int 2023; 38:daad124. [PMID: 37791593 PMCID: PMC10548410 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daad124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Family meals are recognized as an opportunity to promote the health of families. Popular discourse posits that changes to contemporary family life have made family meals harder to achieve and promotion of the 'traditional' family meal may be adding pressures to contemporary families. While research has been conducted on family meals over the last three decades, there is no explicit investigation of the experiences and practices of family meals over this time. Understanding the evolution of family meal practices across time is important for developing achievable expectations in relation to this ritual. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a diverse population of South Australian parents in the 1990s (n = 32) and with a separate population of parents in 2020 (n = 22) to gather their experiences of family meal practices. A comparative analysis, informed by grounded theory, was undertaken to identify similarities and differences in experiences across these two time periods. The results indicated stability in many family meal experiences across time, particularly in their value and significance in family life. Negotiations balancing time, cost, food preferences and responsibility persisted. The stability of family meal values and practices is important to consider when making recommendations, designing interventions and creating services targeting the family meal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Middleton
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Rebecca K Golley
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Karen A Patterson
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - John Coveney
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Tarntanya, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Middleton G, Golley RK, Patterson KA, Coveney J. The Family Meal Framework: A grounded theory study conceptualising the work that underpins the family meal. Appetite 2022; 175:106071. [PMID: 35490845 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The family meal has been recognised as an integral part of family life. With the positive health outcomes associated with the family meal, it has been proposed as a strategy for encouraging health-promoting behaviours. However, a detailed understanding of the physical and mental work required to execute the family meal is lacking. The aim of this research was to conduct a grounded theory study to understand the components required to successfully execute the family meal. Two temporal data sets (1993-4/2020) in which diverse participants were sampled were used for this study. Methods used to conduct qualitative interviews with parents in the 1990s were mirrored in the conduct of qualitative interviews with parents in 2020. The interview data was analysed drawing on grounded theory methodology and methods. The entire sample included 54 parents from 28 families. A conceptual framework, 'The Family Meal Framework', was developed from the analyses. The five main components of The Framework are the cognitions (invisible work considering the needs of the family), actions (physical tasks required for the family meal), outcomes (the event of the family meal), the beliefs and feelings (expectations and attitudes toward the family meal), and the person(s) responsible (who undertakes the work). This framework provides a novel theory describing the reactive, cyclical nature of the work required to execute the family meal. This new understanding provides discrete opportunities for intervention in family meal research, practice, policy and promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Middleton
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
| | - Rebecca K Golley
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Karen A Patterson
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - John Coveney
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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McManus KE, Bertrand A, Snelling AM, Cotter EW. In Their Own Words: Parents and Key Informants' Views on Nutrition Education and Family Health Behaviors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:8155. [PMID: 34360448 PMCID: PMC8346135 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18158155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Parents, health professionals, and communities are integral in the development of nutrition behaviors that reduce children's risk for high body mass index (BMI) and chronic disease. The aim of this study was to conduct formative evaluations with key health informants and parents to understand the specific strategies that families use at mealtimes to promote their family's health, along with the barriers they face in attending current nutrition education programming. Focus groups (in English and Spanish) were conducted with parents (n = 22; 63.64% Black/African American, 13.64% Black but not African American, 18.18% Hispanic/Latinx) whose household was located in a community where 50% of residents' gross income was ≤185% of the federal poverty level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six key informants with expertise in family health and nutrition. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes across interviews. Six general themes emerged from the interviews including perceptions of health, relationships, health behaviors, facilitators, barriers, and desired changes. Across the six themes, participants responded with suggestions for community-based health promotion programs such as incorporating a broader definition of health to better address the individual and systemic barriers that perpetuate health inequities and make healthy eating difficult. Participants identified stress reduction, health literacy, and cooking knowledge as areas of interest for future programming.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adrian Bertrand
- Department of Health Studies, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA; (A.B.); (A.M.S.); (E.W.C.)
| | - Anastasia M. Snelling
- Department of Health Studies, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA; (A.B.); (A.M.S.); (E.W.C.)
| | - Elizabeth W. Cotter
- Department of Health Studies, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA; (A.B.); (A.M.S.); (E.W.C.)
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Beyond the Normative Family Meal Promotion: A Narrative Review of Qualitative Results about Ordinary Domestic Commensality. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18063186. [PMID: 33808698 PMCID: PMC8003368 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There exists a normative representation of family meals in contemporary Western societies which is promoted as imperative through public health programs, larger discourses and by some studies in the nutritional and public health research fields. Family meals, also called domestic commensality, are represented as convivial events and are associated with positive health and wellbeing outcomes but there is minimal evidence to show they are beneficial for family members and it is not known which aspect of the family meal could be responsible for these alleged benefits. This normative family meal image is based on a representation of the family as a peaceful unit exempt from external constraints. This narrative literature review of qualitative studies of family meals seeks to put forward the underlying premises of this representation and compare it with reports about actual practices. The results emphasize that eating together is still practiced and remains valued by family members, which is in contrast to discourses lamenting the decline of the family meal. However, the valorisation and recurrence of family meals depends on class, gender and cultural positions. There is a gap between the norm of healthy or convivial and achievable family meals, which can reinforce the so-called "mental load" and "emotion work" of those in charge of feeding the family and heighten inequalities within the household. In fact, there are many challenges to family meals which originate from external constraints or are inherent aspects of family life. The results from this review suggest that we should focus on family meals by taking into account the food work surrounding it and focussing on the interactional aspects of family meals. Ethnographic methods allow the researcher to observe the diversities and complexities of commensality as well as family dynamics and, in doing so, could provide more realistic representations of eating within the family.
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Gu J, Zhu R. Social Capital and Self-Rated Health: Empirical Evidence from China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17239108. [PMID: 33291271 PMCID: PMC7729480 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17239108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study assesses the relationship between social capital and self-reported health (SRH) by comparing different genders and ages. It utilizes data from the 2016 China Family Panel Study data with a sample of 30,657 adult individuals from 25 provincial-level administrative regions in China. This was a cross-sectional study conducted with computer-assisted face-to-face interviews to assess social capital and self-rated health among Chinese adults. A multi-level Poisson regression model is employed to model social capital-related dependent variables using the independent variable of fair/poor health status. In terms of social relations, mobile phone use can improve men's health. However, this effect is insignificant for women. Moreover, gender and age interact with the relationship between social capital and individual health. The relationship between trust and self-rated health is not significantly different between men and women. The frequency of feeling lonely and the lack of feelings for the community in which they live have a negative impact on self-rated health, but there are no obvious differences in terms of gender. The number of meals per week with family members is negatively correlated with men's SRH, but there is no correlation with adult women 41 and above. Lack of help from neighbors is negatively correlated with men's health, but not with that of adult women 40 and below. Being a member of the Chinese Communist Party or a member of the Chinese Communist Youth League is positively correlated with SRH for women 60 and above.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafeng Gu
- Institute of Social Survey Study, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-186-181-464-98
| | - Ruiyu Zhu
- Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China;
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Middleton G, Golley R, Patterson K, Le Moal F, Coveney J. What can families gain from the family meal? A mixed-papers systematic review. Appetite 2020; 153:104725. [PMID: 32422173 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The family meal has been associated with numerous health and wellbeing benefits for both adults and children. However, the majority of the research in this area is correlational, unable to prove a causal relationship between family meals and health and wellbeing outcomes. The objectives of this systematic review were to determine the causal relationship between family meals and health and wellbeing and explore family members' perceptions of the family meal. A systematic search across five databases was undertaken to identify both intervention studies and qualitative studies investigating the family meal. Thirty-two articles were deemed eligible for inclusion in this review. Qualitative data were synthesised via the meta-aggregation approach; however, the quantitative data were too heterogeneous to perform meta-analysis. Only one intervention included in this review exclusively targeted the family meal, the remaining studies had other target strategies as part of their intervention (e.g. physical activity, snacking, sleep routines). Only two of the eight interventions reported a statistically significant difference between control and intervention groups for family meal frequency or quality, therefore we were unable to fully explore the causal relationship between family meals and health and wellbeing outcomes. The qualitative studies identified multiple barriers to the family meal, including scheduling conflicts, exhaustion and lack of time, and reported family connection and communication as the main perceived benefits of the family meal. There is a gap between the benefits and barriers to the family meal identified through qualitative research, and current intervention strategies, with few interventions exclusively targeting the family meal. Interventions that are informed by qualitative literature and exclusively target the family meal are needed to further investigate the causal relationship between family meals and potential health and wellbeing outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Middleton
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
| | - Rebecca Golley
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Karen Patterson
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - John Coveney
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Sarmugam R, Worsley A. Dietary Behaviours, Impulsivity and Food Involvement: Identification of Three Consumer Segments. Nutrients 2015; 7:8036-57. [PMID: 26393649 PMCID: PMC4586574 DOI: 10.3390/nu7095379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims to (1) identify consumer segments based on consumers' impulsivity and level of food involvement, and (2) examine the dietary behaviours of each consumer segment. An Internet-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 530 respondents. The mean age of the participants was 49.2 ± 16.6 years, and 27% were tertiary educated. Two-stage cluster analysis revealed three distinct segments; "impulsive, involved" (33.4%), "rational, health conscious" (39.2%), and "uninvolved" (27.4%). The "impulsive, involved" segment was characterised by higher levels of impulsivity and food involvement (importance of food) compared to the other two segments. This segment also reported significantly more frequent consumption of fast foods, takeaways, convenience meals, salted snacks and use of ready-made sauces and mixes in cooking compared to the "rational, health conscious" consumers. They also reported higher frequency of preparing meals at home, cooking from scratch, using ready-made sauces and mixes in cooking and higher vegetable consumption compared to the "uninvolved" consumers. The findings show the need for customised approaches to the communication and promotion of healthy eating habits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rani Sarmugam
- Health Promotion Board, 3 Second Hospital Avenue, 168937 Singapore.
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood VIC 3125, Australia.
| | - Anthony Worsley
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood VIC 3125, Australia.
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Dwyer L, Oh A, Patrick H, Hennessy E. Promoting family meals: a review of existing interventions and opportunities for future research. Adolesc Health Med Ther 2015; 6:115-31. [PMID: 26124690 PMCID: PMC4482375 DOI: 10.2147/ahmt.s37316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that regular family meals protect against unhealthy eating and obesity during childhood and adolescence. However, there is limited information on ways to promote family meals as part of health promotion and obesity prevention efforts. The primary aim of this review was to synthesize the literature on strategies to promote family meals among families with school-aged children and adolescents. First, we reviewed interventions that assess family meals as an outcome and summarized strategies that have been used in these interventions. Second, we reviewed correlates and barriers to family meals to identify focal populations and target constructs for consideration in new interventions. During May 26-27, 2014, PubMed and PsycInfo databases were searched to identify literature on family meals published between January 1, 2000 and May 27, 2014. Two reviewers coded 2,115 titles/abstracts, yielding a sample of 139 articles for full-text review. Six interventions and 43 other studies presenting data on correlates of or barriers to family meals were included in the review. Four interventions resulted in greater family meal frequency. Although there were a small number of interventions, intervention settings were diverse and included the home, community, medical settings, the workplace, and the Internet. Common strategies were goal setting and interactive group activities, and intervention targets included cooking and food preparation, cost, shopping, and adolescent influence. Although methodological nuances may contribute to mixed findings, key correlates of family meals were employment, socioeconomic and demographic factors, family structure, and psychosocial constructs. Barriers to consider in future interventions include time and scheduling challenges, cost, and food preferences. Increasing youth involvement in mealtime, tailoring interventions to family characteristics, and providing support for families experiencing time-related barriers are suggested strategies for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Dwyer
- Health Behaviors Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - April Oh
- Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Heather Patrick
- Health Behaviors Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Live Healthier, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Erin Hennessy
- Clinical Research Directorate/Clinical Monitoring Research Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
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