Want a stronger family? Eat dessert together, a study suggests

GLASSHOUGHTON, England (KTRK) -- Can a spoonful of sugar keep the family together?

According to research out of England, dessert might just be the catalyst for stronger family connections and good memories.

TODAY AT 5 A.M.: Katherine Whaley shows you two cool dessert trends you can try right here in Houston.

Research conducted by psychology professor Geoffrey Beattie of Edge Hill University suggested eating some sweets with family members can create benefits well beyond the dinner table.

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Their survey revealed children who eat meals as a family were more likely to succeed in life, make better grades, have higher self-esteem, and were healthier overall.

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These next statistics really take the cake:

• More than a third of the people in the study said dessert created better dinner table experiences.
• 65% said eating dessert with family made them happier.
• 75% said they felt more relaxed before, during and after dessert.

The study was commissioned by Coppenrath & Wiese, a bakery in Glasshoughton, England.

TODAY AT 5 A.M.: Katherine Whaley shows you two cool dessert trends you can try right here in Houston.

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