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Teenagers who switch off the TV and sit down to family meals are less likely to suffer eating disorders (饮食紊乱). A study has showed that eating together will lower rates of eating too much and eating too little. Younger people who eat round the table are less likely to take up smoking to lose weight.

Researcher Barbara Fiese said, “The common belief is that teens don't want to be around their parents very much, and that teens are just too busy for regular meals with the family.” Actually, their parents have the most responsibility for it. “Parents may not be able to get their families together around the table seven days a week, but if they can arrange three family meals a week, they will protect their teens' health in effective ways,” she advised.

Professor Fiese found that teenagers who ate at least five meals a week with their families were 35 percent less likely to be “disordered eaters' Even three family meals a week worked, with young people 12 percent less likely to be overweight than those who ate with their families less often. They were also 24 percent more likely to eat healthy food and have healthy eating habits than those who didn't share three meals with their families.

Family meals are good for developing the relationship between teenagers and their parents. Teenagers can also use family meals as a time to get their thoughts known by their parents.