Could family meals be protective or effective in preventing high-risk behaviors among adolescents? The idea that family meals are a thing of the past is quite common in our society today. Everyone is very independent and the way of life has changed drastically from what it was in the past. With families changing and careers dominating parents' time and lives, children are commonly left alone or with a babysitter. Due to the new lifestyle, meals between families have decreased and it is said that there is a relationship between how much time one spends with one's family and exposure to high-risk activities thus leading to high-risk behaviors. Most studies have found or discovered the links between the amount