(Family Features) Americans face a lack of social connection that poses a significant risk to individual health and longevity, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

Address the epidemic of loneliness by joining the Family Meals Movement and sharing a meal with friends and family today.

Watch this video to learn how you can join the Family Meals Movement!

Encourage Togetherness
Research finds the more people eat together, the better they function. Specifically, frequent shared family meals improve connectedness, communication, expressiveness and problem-solving. Conversation is key during family meals to take advantage of the one-on-one time without distractions.

Strengthen Mental Health
Family meals also support mental health, restoring a sense of peace, bolstering self-esteem, increasing happiness and boosting a sense of resilience.

Enhance Nutrition
Research shows family meals improve fruit and vegetable consumption. It also indicates families who eat together frequently have a better overall healthy diet and lower body mass index.

Boost Academic Performance
Eating more meals together is associated with improved overall adolescent health, including higher grades. Multiple studies show students whose families eat together frequently perform better academically in reading and vocabulary.

Model Civility
The family dinner table is a great place to show younger generations how to communicate respectfully. In fact, 76% of Americans agreed family meals are a good opportunity to have and teach respectful interactions, according to the FMI Foundation’s “Staying Strong with Family Meals” Barometer.

Learn more about the physical, mental and social benefits of family meals at familymealsmovement.org. Share how you’re participating by tagging #familymealsmonth and #familymealsmovement on social media.