Family meals ease anxiety — and asthma as well.

Family mealtime is great for many things… including better outcomes for children with asthma. U.S. researchers found children’s asthma symptoms decrease if their families have regular mealtimes together.

Barbara H. Fiese, director of the University of Illinois Family Resiliency Center, said family members play an important role in helping children emotionally manage their asthma symptoms.

Experts tell us, a supportive, organized environment during mealtime puts a child at ease whereas a chaotic, unresponsive atmosphere fosters worry and anxiety. What many don’t know is that stress and anxiety are major asthma triggers.

“It makes sense that children who have difficulty breathing might be anxious and prefer to keep their parents, who can help them in an emergency, close by,” Fiese said in a statement. 

”Supportive interaction during family mealtimes helps increase a child’s sense of security and eases separation anxiety symptoms. The reason is, when children are less anxious, their lung function improves.”

During the six-week study, 63 children ages 9-12 with persistent asthma completed questionnaires and were interviewed about their physical and mental health, including an assessment for separation anxiety.

“Children need regularity and predictability,” Fiese said. “When families are overwhelmed or lack the skills to keep routines in place, there are often physical and psychological costs to their children. Left untreated, separation anxiety can lead to adult panic disorder.”

Fiese’s study is published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

Leave a Reply