FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Date: September 23, 2004
Contact: Jennifer Stone (619) 531-4766

CAN SITTING DOWN TO DINNER REALLY KEEP KIDS OUT OF TROUBLE?

SAN DIEGO - A new national survey touting the benefits of sit-down family dinners has San Diego community leaders dishing about the power of the dinner table.

The survey results are so remarkable that the County of San Diego and the San Diego County Restaurant Association are encouraging all families to set aside September 27, 2004 as "Family Dinner Day."

According to a 2004 study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, teens who eat dinner with their families five to seven times a week were 31 percent less likely to use illegal drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol than other teens who had dinner with their families four times a week or fewer.

"We hope busy families can find the time to slow down and experience the simple joy of eating dinner in the same place," Chairwoman Dianne Jacob who professes to make a mean roast turkey. "Knowing that family dinners have the added benefit of protecting kids from drug use is another wonderful reason for families to eat together."

" Food brings families together. Sharing a meal at a table leads to meaningful communication among family members," said Steve Fricker, president of the San Diego Chapter of the California Restaurant Association.

Teens from families that eat dinner together two times a week or fewer were a startling 72 percent more likely to engage in these activities than those who ate dinner with their families three or more times a week.

Teens who eat dinner with their families are also less likely to be bored, do well in school, and handle stress well than teens who rarely spend time with their families at the table.

Jacob, California Restaurant Association members and families will gather at the Corvette Diner in Hillcrest on Monday, September 27 at 2 p.m. to celebrate Family Dinner Night.