According to a new poll commissioned by The Associated Press, 60 percent of those who live with families said they sat down with family for dinner at least five nights in the past week. The research also revealed:
- Twenty-five percent of families have the television turned on during dinner.
- Fifty percent of families feel pestered by phone calls during this time together.
- E-mailing or texting on a cell phone is constantly taking place during dinner for five percent of families.
- Fifty-one percent of men said they cook dinner at least sometimes.
- Sixty-four percent of people in rural areas said they eat dinner as a family at least five times a week compared to 56 percent of those living in cities.
- Twenty percent of those polled said they ate dinner in a sit-down restaurant once in the past week.
The poll was conducted November 5-9 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Media, and was based on phone interviews with 1,006 adults.