Family Meals and Competences for Healthy Eating: A Life Course Perspective

NUTRITION COMPETENCIES IN EUROPEAN HOUSEHOLDS Submitted by Gerda CASIMIR, IFHE Vice-President Region of Europe In September and October 2014, a multidisciplinary group of five Wageningen University (The Netherlands) masters students executed a preliminary study on nutrition competencies in European households. The aim of the study was to discover the main impediments to acquire sufficient competencies, in order to tackle the problem of obesity and other welfare diseases. The limited timeframe of the study allowed for expert interviews and desk research. On the basis of these, the students formulated recommendations, including a list of topics for future research, namely: cookingshows; family meals; men in the kitchen;nutritional standards and limits of competitive food at schools; doctors are not nutritionexperts; supply chain power; food perception,why humans like junk food. Regarding family meals, the students state that, “although the importance of the home food environment regarding health is known, not many studies about childhood obesity prevention have included family components. The few studies that have looked at this relation have found either a positive effect or no effect at all. Furthermore, it is a complex issue as both the frequency and quality of the family meals have an effect on the health of members of a household. More research is required into the influence of this frequency and quality of family meals and the way it influences the home food environment.” The Sociology of Consumption and Households group of Wageningen University wants to take up this challenge. A research proposal is in the making.