Frequency of family meals and food consumption in families at high risk of type 2 diabetes: the Feel4Diabetes-study
Authors: Mahmood Lubna , González-Gil Esther M. , Schwarz Peter , Herrmann Sandra , Karaglani Eva , Cardon Greet , De Vylder Flore , Willems Ruben , Makrilakis Konstantinos , Liatis Stavors , Iotova Violeta , Tsochev Kaloyan , Tankova Tsvetalina , Rurik Imre , Radó Sándorné , Moreno Luis A. , Manios Yannis ,   on behalf of the Feel4Diabetes-Study Group, Manios Yannis , Cardon Greet , Lindström Jaana , Schwarz Peter , Makrilakis Konstantinos , Annemans Lieven , Ko Winne , Karatzi Kalliopi , Androutsos Odysseas , Moschonis George , Kanellakis Spyridon , Mavrogianni Christina , Tsoutsoulopoulou Konstantina , Katsarou Christina , Karaglani Eva , Qira Irini , Skoufas Efstathios , Maragkopoulou Konstantina , Tsiafitsa Antigone , Sotiropoulou Irini , Tsolakos Michalis , Argyri Effie , Nikolaou Mary , Vampouli Eleni-Anna , Filippou Christina , Apergi Kyriaki , Filippou Amalia , Katerina Gatsiou , Dimitriadis Efstratios , Laatikainen Tiina , Wikström Katja , Kivelä Jemina , Valve Päivi , Levälahti Esko , Virtanen Eeva , Pennanen Tiina , Olli Seija , Nelimarkka Karoliina , Van Stappen Vicky , Huys Nele , Willems Ruben , Shadid Samyah , Timpel Patrick , Liatis Stavros , Dafoulas George , Lambrinou Christina-Paulina , Giannopoulou Angeliki , Karuranga Ernest , Moreno Luis , Civeira Fernando , Bueno Gloria , De Miguel-Etayo Pilar , Gonzalez-Gil Esther Mª , Miguel-Berges María L. , Giménez-Legarre Natalia , Flores-Barrantes Paloma , Ayala-Marín Aleli M. , Seral-Cortés Miguel , Baila-Rueda Lucia , Cenarro Ana , Jarauta Estíbaliz , Mateo-Gallego Rocío , Iotova Violeta , Tankova Tsvetalina , Usheva Natalia , Tsochev Kaloyan , Chakarova Nevena , Galcheva Sonya , Dimova Rumyana , Bocheva Yana , Radkova Zhaneta , Marinova Vanya , Bazdarska Yuliya , Stefanova Tanya , Rurik Imre , Ungvari Timea , Jancsó Zoltán , Nánási Anna , Kolozsvári László , Semánova Csilla , Bíró Éva , Antal Emese , Radó Sándorné , Martinez Remberto , Tong Marcos 
Published: March 2022

A family meal is defined as a meal consumed together by the members of a family or by having ≥ 1 parent present during a meal. The frequency of family meals has been associated with healthier food intake patterns in both children and parents. This study aimed to investigate in families at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes across Europe the association (i) between family meals’ frequency and food consumption and diet quality among parents and (ii) between family meals’ frequency and children’s food consumption. Moreover, the study aimed to elucidate the mediating effect of parental diet quality on the association between family meals’ frequency and children’s food consumption. Food consumption frequency and anthropometric were collected cross-sectionally from a representative sample of 1964 families from the European Feel4Diabetes-study. Regression and mediation analyses were applied by gender of children. Positive and significant associations were found between the frequency of family meals and parental food consumption (β = 0.84; 95% CI 0.57, 1.45) and diet quality (β = 0.30; 95% CI 0.19, 0.42). For children, more frequent family meals were significantly associated with healthier food consumption (boys, β = 0.172, p < 0.05; girls, β = 0.114, p < 0.01). A partial mediation effect of the parental diet quality was shown on the association between the frequency of family meals and the consumption of some selected food items (i.e., milk products and salty snacks) among boys and girls. The strongest mediation effect of parental diet quality was found on the association between the frequency of family breakfast and the consumption of salty snacks and milk and milk products (62.5% and 37.5%, respectively) among girls.

Conclusions: The frequency of family meals is positively associated with improved food consumption patterns (i.e., higher intake of fruits and vegetables and reduced consumption of sweets) in both parents and children. However, the association in children is partially mediated by parents’ diet quality. The promotion of consuming meals together in the family could be a potentially effective strategy for interventions aiming to establish and maintain healthy food consumption patterns among children.

Trial registration: The Feel4Diabetes-study is registered with the clinical trials registry (NCT02393872), http://clinicaltrials.gov, March 20, 2015.

What is Known:• Parents’ eating habits and diet quality play an important role in shaping dietary patterns in children• Family meals frequency is associated with improved diet quality of children in healthy population

What is New:• Frequency of family meals was significantly associated with healthier food consumption among parents and children in families at high risk of type 2 diabetes in six European countries.• Parental diet quality mediates the association between family meals frequency and the consumption of some selected food items among children.