title: Relationship between Family Meals and Depressive Symptoms in Children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, importance of family meals has been emphasized at home and abroad, and several journals reported that family meals had a big impact on children's development. In this paper, we would like to report the relationship between family meals and depressive symptoms in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was based on questionnaires distributed to 162 5th and 6th graders of one elementary school in the area of Daegu, Korea, in July, 2010. The questionnaire was about general characteristics, family characteristics, and quantity/quality of family meals. Family functions and depressive symptoms in children were evaluated with Smilkstein's family APGAR (adaptability, partnership, growth, affection, and resolve) score (FAS) and Kovac's Children's Depression Inventory (CDI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In one-way analyses of variance, there was no significant difference in FAS and CDI according to general and family characteristics (P > 0.05). CDI was significantly lower in the group having more frequent family meals (P < 0.05). Higher FAS and lower CDI was seen in the group having more conversation and better atmosphere during meals (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in FAS and CDI according to the number of participants, duration, and watching television during meals (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of family meals, having more conversation and better atmosphere during family meals predicted less depressive symptoms in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Min-Ji
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Sung
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Dae-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Child; Depression; Family Function; Family Meals