Families eating dinner together has become a rarity in America. Due to the increase of single parent families and women working outside the home, finding time to sit down together can be hard. Unfortunately, fast food is part of the busy life and can be a challenge trying to avoid the convenience. The family meal ritual has been hovering on the verge of extinction in many households; the competing schedules of parents and children often do not allow for a get-together at dinnertime. Experts now believe that every time a child sits down in front of the TV with food, he may be missing out on a daily infusion of values and traditions that are vital to emotional well-being (CDC). The demise of the family dinner is part of a wider trend of parents not spending as much time with youth as they once did. Research has shown that American children spend almost 40 percent less time with their parents than they did in 1965 (Childhood Obesity: Causes and Prevention). Mealtime means more than refueling a youngster with nutrients. One also gets a hefty dose of emotional and intellectual nourishment. Gathering for meals instills a sense of security in children, and helps them to understand and appreciate the complicated dynamics of family life. Adolescents who eat as a family also likely to eat a healthier diet, say nutritionists (Childhood Obesity: A Food and Nutrition Resource List ). Families who sit down and eat together most likely eat proper meals. Obesity can be genetic or a learned lifestyle. Parents with poor diet and lifestyles habits, inevitably pass these traits on to their children. However, genes and environment do not have to destine people to a lifestyle of obesity. .
The increase in fast food restaurants has added to the incline of obesity. The busy lifestyles of American's have made eating at fast food restaurants more convenient than eating at home. Many fast-food chains encourage customers to order "super-sized" items, pointing out that they get more value for their dollar.
