Today Family Members Eat Fewer Meals Together

Today Family Members Eat Fewer Meals Together. Why Is This? Is This a Positive or Negative Trend?

Nowadays, family members dine less together. I believe the reason for this negative trend is a fast-paced life and poor planning. This would be further discussed in the following paragraphs.

The main reason families eat little together is a busy lifestyle. In recent times, it is widely believed that time is money; most people, if not all, devote the full 24 hours and 7 days to life pursuits such as career advancement and business expansion to earn enough to meet their ends and expectations. They are always on the go, spending more time at work than at home, thereby reducing time spent with loved ones, including meals together. For example, in an urban city like Lagos, the only time most families dine out is on weekends, because members spend much of their time on weekdays either working or stuck in traffic. In addition, even during weekends and free time, some households still have only a few family meals due to poor planning. To enable dining with others, there must be a specific food timetable and meal times that guide and motivate parents and their children to eat together; however, only a few per cent of homes have such a schedule in place.

There are adverse consequences to this trend. Firstly, it weakens family ties. Family meals help members reunite after a busy day or after being apart, providing space for connection and communication. Therefore, when fewer meals are taken together, the family bonds are affected. Secondly, it involves members’ nutrition. Joint eating improves appetite and promotes overall family nutrition, so when meals are not taken together, a family member may have a poor diet. For example, healthcare providers reported that patients suffering from anorexia improve when they eat with their loved ones.

In conclusion, people spend little time together in current times due to their busy lives and irregular schedules. In my opinion, this is an alarming trend because it affects members’ connections and diets. It is then recommended that people prioritise their household, even as societal demands increase.

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