26% of British Children Eat Meals in Bedroom

One in nearly four children in Britain prefer to eat their meals in the bedroom, reports a study.

The survey, by frozen foods firm Birds Eye, found that 26 percent of youngsters often have their evening meal alone in their bedroom, compared to just 12 percent in France.

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The ritual of families eating together has all but disappeared in Britain, even though it's still customary in European countries such as France and Spain.

It supports the view held by many parents that computers and television are taking over from family meal times.

The UK is also among the worst in Europe when it comes to children eating in front of the TV.

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BDA’s (British Dietetic Association) recent survey on 3,000 school students finds, they are watching TV, computers, and playing video games for about two-and-a-half months every year.

Some 78 percent of youngsters regularly have their evening meal while watching a show, compared to 61 percent in France, 62 percent in Germany and 68 percent in Italy.

And more children in the UK than elsewhere in Europe also regularly eat alone or before their parents.

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Regular family meals result in better eating habits for adolescents, a new study has suggested.

The survey discovered just one in five youngsters in Britain always eat at a table, compared to 7 percent in France, 42 percent in Germany, 61 percent in Italy and 40 percent in Spain.

Family expert Professor Tanya Byron, who was involved in the initiative, warned that the demise of family mealtimes could be damaging our families.

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"By eating together, focusing on each other and learning to enjoy each other's company, families gain a variety of benefits, including improved communication and trust - and of course, the ability to have some fun over a delicious meal," the Daily Mail quoted her as saying.

"We need to lose the dash-and-eat mentality and get better at table talk," she added.

Source-ANI