A new study from Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) found that eating family dinners together is linked to lower drug, alcohol, and cigarette use among children and teenagers.

"The emotional and social benefits that come from family dinners are priceless," said Elizabeth Planet, CASA vice president.

The study documented the following for children whose families eat dinner together fewer than three times per week:

• They are twice as likely to use tobacco or marijuana.
• They are one and a half times more likely to use alcohol, and twice as likely to try drugs in the future.
• They are twice as likely to have friends who use marijuana and ecstasy.
• They are one and a half times more likely to have friends who drink, abuse prescription drugs, and use crystal meth
• They are one and a half times more likely to have friends who use drugs such as cocaine, LSD, and heroin.
  

The report also found that eating family dinners without distractions such as texting or using a Blackberry put children at an advantage, too. Children who ate infrequent family dinners that involved such distractions were three times more likely to use marijuana and tobacco, and two and half times more likely to drink alcohol.

About 59 percent of children and teenagers have dinner with their families at least five times a week. The average family dinner is 35 minutes long.

Labels: prevention, dinner, communication

Posted By: Aspen/CRC