Overview

The Families EAT Together Study was a research project designed to examine what occurs during family mealtimes in the home. Working closely with a group of researchers from the University of Illinois-Chicago, project investigators studied how family mealtimes and routines relate to life outcomes. Specifically, they observed families in the Urbana-Champaign community and in the Chicago area. The project helped researchers better understand what families talk about during mealtimes, and how the meals and mealtime discussions relate to outcomes of health and well-being for family members. Researchers were also interested in exploring how family mealtimes (and discussions during said mealtimes) are similar and different between urban, semi-urban, and rural settings in Illinois. This project helped identify positive family events and routines that can promote health and healthy development with families. Additionally, the Families EAT Together study better defined similarities and differences in how family mealtimes affect Illinois families differently depending on family and community differences, such as whether the family lives in an urban or semi-urban setting or in a rural setting.

Research Team (positions and affiliations listed at time of the project)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Blake Jones, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Psychology
  • Barbara Fiese, Ph.D., Family Resiliency Center Director, Human Development and Family Studies
  • Diana Grigsby-Toussaint, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Community Health
  • Janet Liechty, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Social Work
  • Kelly Freeman Bost, Ph.D., Professor, Human Development and Family Studies
  • LaTesha Washington, Graduate Student
  • Tamika Wilkins, Graduate Student
  • Sara Gilman, Participant Family Recruiter
  • Kevin Thomas, Undergraduate Research Assistant
  • Lauren Sieczko, Undergraduate Research Assistant
  • Yue Hong, Undergraduate Research Assistant
  • Andrea Kazaniwskyj, Undergraduate Researcher
  • Claire Sereiko, Undergraduate Researcher
  • Michael Levi, Undergraduate Researcher

University of Illinois at Chicago, Cancer Center

Contact:
Brenda Koester
217-244-6486; bkoester@illinois.edu

Citations

Glanz, K., Metcalfe, J. J., Folta, S. C., Brown, A., & Fiese, B. (2021). Diet and health benefits associated with in-home eating and sharing meals at home: A systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(4), 1577.

Fiese, B. H., & Schwartz, M. (2008). Reclaiming the Family Table: Mealtimes and Child Health and Wellbeing. Social Policy Report. Volume 22, Number 4. Society for Research in child development.

Funding

This research was funded by the University of Illinois at Chicago Cancer Center 2010 Pilot Grant Program.