Traditional family dinners 'the best bet to fight childhood obesity'

Melbourne, October 12 : Forget exercise and cutting on calories, for a traditional family dinner is more than enough to fight obesity, at least in case of kids, says a leading expert.

In a recent Brisbane health conference, child health experts have said that family that eats together has better nutrition levels than those who miss out on the lovely experience.

Based on a two-year health survey, University of Newcastle health school associate professor Clare Collins said that parents and children who start a healthy food program lose more weight than those who focused solely on exercise.

Her survey of 165 obese children aged five to nine underlined the fact that parents were still the biggest influence on child nutritional health.

"The most important thing you can do for your kids is to sit down at the table as a family," the Courier Mail quoted her, as saying.

The expert, however, said that studies are yet to establish exactly why dinner-table meals worked best but suggested they probably contained healthier food.

ANI