Is How We Eat as Important as What We Eat?

When we look at how our eating habits affect our health, we often focus on what we eat — like our food choices and portion sizes. However, there’s growing evidence that how we eat, might be just as important as what we eat. When we say ‘how’ we eat we simply mean what environment we are eating in – are you alone, are you eating with others, are you distracted by screens? Social eating and mindful eating practices can profoundly impact our overall health and wellbeing, making mealtimes more than just about sustenance.

The Importance of Social Eating

Social connections have consistently been associated with better health outcomes. Meaningful relationships can reduce stress, boost both physical and mental wellbeing, and improve quality of life. On the other hand, social isolation and loneliness can have poor effects on our health and increase health risks. Recent studies have shown that the setting in which we eat may also significantly impact our mental and physical health from eating as a family in childhood to eating with others as older adults.

The Benefits of Eating with Others

Here is what research has found when people eat together more often:

• Lower Rates of Depression: Eating with others reduces feelings of depression
• Better Mental Health and Happiness: Eating with family or friends enhances overall mental health and how people feel about their lives.
• More Diverse Diets: Frequent family meals contribute to a more varied diet, including higher consumption of vegetables.
• Social Engagement and Community: Meals with others promote social interaction and a sense of belonging, positively impacting mental health.

The Challenges of Eating Alone

Here is what research has found when people  who eat alone more often.

• Simpler, Quicker Meals: People who eat alone often choose simpler and quicker meals, which can sometimes lead to less nutritious choices and less variation.
• Skipping Meals: Eating alone can increase the likelihood of skipping meals.
• Poorer Dietary Quality: There’s a higher chance of eating out or grabbing less healthy food options.
• Higher Risk of Malnutrition: This is especially true for older adults who may not prepare balanced meals when dining alone.
• Increased Depression and Lower Quality of Life: Eating alone is linked to higher rates of depression and a lower quality of life. Older adults who eat alone, even if they live with family, are at higher risk for depression.

Making Social Eating a Habit

In today’s fast paced world, along with the rise of single person households in Australia, many individuals end up dining alone. Nearly half of those who live alone report spending 90% of their free time by themselves. It’s becoming increasingly common to eat in front of a computer or TV, or while scrolling on your phone – who’s guilty of this? Yep, most of us! Families, too, face difficulties gathering for meals due to varying schedules and commitments.

However, studies show that dining in the company of others offers huge benefits. From the supportive environment of family meals in childhood to the central role of mealtimes in care homes for older adults, eating together provides opportunities to connect and boost those happy hormones. Beyond immediate enjoyment, eating together can improve mental health. Lack of company during meals is a strong independent factor associated with feelings of depression, including low mood, low energy, and irregular sleeping. In fact eating alone looks like it could be worse for mental health than living alone – isn’t that interesting?

Simple Ways to Foster Social Eating

If you find yourself eating alone a lot of the time, you’re not alone (ironically). So here are some new ways to eat with others.

• • Invite Neighbors for Dinner: Regularly invite your neighbours for dinner to create a sense of community.
  • Start a Community Garden: Engage with your community by starting a neighbourhood garden where people can grow and share food.
  • Organise Weekly Lunch Meetings: Plan weekly lunch meetings with colleagues to break the monotony of eating alone at work.
  • Host Weekly Dinners with Friends: Revive the tradition of potluck dinners with friends to enjoy diverse dishes and company.
  • Volunteer: Participate in volunteer activities that involve social interaction and eating.
  • Video Call During Meals: If you can’t eat together in person, video call a friend or family member while eating.
  • Eat at Restaurants: Choose to dine in at restaurants and engage in conversations with fellow diners.
  • Community Groups: Head to your local councils website in search of community groups you can join with like minded people to start building new connections.
  • Join a class at Live Life Get Active!

The Role of Slow and Attentive Eating

Slow and attentive eating is another crucial aspect of how we eat. It involves paying full attention to the eating experience, slowing down, and listening to our body’s hunger and fullness cues. This can prevent overeating and promote a healthier relationship with food. Here’s how you can incorporate such mindful eating practices:

• Eat Slowly: Take your time with each bite. Chew thoroughly and savour the flavours.
• Eliminate Distractions: Turn off the TV and put away your phone to focus solely on your meal.
• Pay Attention to Hunger Cues: Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full – eating slowly will help you recognise when you’re full.
• Appreciate Your Food: Take a moment to appreciate the effort that went into preparing your meal and the nutrients it provides.

Practising this way of eating can help you enjoy your food more, reduce stress around eating, improve digestion, reduce overeating and prevent weight gain.

Balancing the focus between what we eat and how we eat can lead to a more holistic approach to nutrition. Social eating and mindful eating practices can enhance our overall health, making meals more enjoyable and beneficial. By prioritising communal dining and mindful eating, we can improve our physical and mental wellbeing, fostering a healthier relationship with food and ourselves.

References:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745691614568352?journalCode=ppsa

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8036467/ 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0197457216302920 

https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features20Dec+2009 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36857959/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325878/

https://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/2017/12/eating-alone-join-the-club/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34501870/