Family dinners star again in a study of childhood obesity. Children who sit down to eat with their parents at least three times a week were 12 per cent less likely to be overweight, American researchers found.

The youngsters were also 20 per cent less likely to eat junk food, 35 per cent less likely to have eating problems like skipping meals or bingeing, and 24 per cent more likely to eat vegetables and other healthy foods. The findings come from a review of 17 studies that were based on observations not actual experiments, so the evidence is suggestive rather than conclusive. Still, it makes sense.

[Researcher] Professor Hammons said it's possible that parents may influence and monitor their kids more during shared meals. 'We also know that families that sit down together are less likely to eat high-calorie food,' she added.

As a result, the researchers encourage families to spend more time together around the dinner table. 'It doesn't have to be every day,' Professor Hammons said. 'We know that families are very busy.'

But maybe that’s conceding too much. Certainly families should aim at more than three times a week.

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Another obesity study (of Hispanic parents and children in West Texas) has found that children with TVs in their bedrooms were more likely to be overweight.

On average, the whole group of children, aged 5 to 9, watched more than the recommended maximum of two hours a day: those with TV in their bedroom 3.5 hours a day and the others nearly three hours.

“Bedroom TVs lead to more screen time, sedentary behavior, less parental support of physical activity and increased fast food intake,” said Du Feng, Ph.D., lead study author.

“Seventy percent of the children had a TV in their bedroom, and 32 percent were already overweight or they were at risk for becoming overweight due to unhealthy behaviors,” Feng said.

Another specialist comments:

“You wouldn’t allow a stranger to sit alone with your child in their bedroom and to try to sell them things, would you?” said Dipesh Navsaria, M.D., a professor of pediatrics at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Besides greater exposure to advertising, TV in the bedroom can also lead to sleep disruption -- a child waking up during the night may turn it on and so lose more sleep, which is another risk for obesity.

Parents often go against their better judgement in allowing a TV in a child’s room, says Prof Navsaria, so family health education is important.

“I have seen multiple times when a parent felt that a TV in a child’s bedroom was not a good idea, but they didn’t feel empowered to remove it unless and until I told them it was important they do so,” he said.

Parents clearly need more support.