We all tend to eat more when we eat or dine with friends and family. Why is this happening to us?
New research, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that eating more when surrounded by family and friends is linked to a phenomenon called “social facilitation.” The work, developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom), led by Helen Ruddock, presents several evolutionary and psychological hypotheses that explain our tendency to eat more food when we have company.
The experts systematically reviewed more than 40 studies that used both experimental and non-experimental approaches to examine food intake . The review confirmed the hypothesis: we eat more when we are with friends or family, but the way we eat is also more likely to change when we are with people we do not know.
We eat more in company
Previous studies had revealed that meal sizes were 29% to 48% more sumptuous when eating with friends than when one was alone. This was especially the case for foods high in fat and protein, such as hamburgers and other meat-based foods; however, myriad social factors came into play when factors such as gender, obesity, and familiarity with food partners were involved. For example, women tended to eat less than they would normally eat alone in certain social situations , especially in front of men, whether they were strangers or friends; likewise, overweight people ate smaller portions in public, perhaps out of fear of being judged. According to the study, these groups would eat 18% less food when they were in company compared to when they were alone.
“ People want to make a positive impression on strangers . Selecting small portions can provide a means of doing this and this may be the reason why social facilitation of eating is less pronounced among groups of strangers, “said Helen Ruddock, leader of the work.
Food is a sensitive topic, and both restriction and overeating can lead to social stigma. If we fear that they will judge us, we will most likely limit our actions.
“ Previous research results suggest that we often choose what (and how much) to eat based on the type of impression we want to convey about ourselves. Evidence suggests that this may be particularly pronounced for women who eat with men who want to impress and for people with obesity who want to avoid being judged for overeating, ”the expert continues.
Instinctive behavior
The team of researchers believe that some of this behavior is almost instinctive, dating back to the hunter-gatherer methods of our earliest ancestors . Thousands of years ago, after ensuring a large harvest, humans shared food with each other as a way to strengthen social ties and protect against potential food insecurity.
“What we describe as ‘social facilitation’ can be seen as a natural by-product of the social exchange of food, a strategy that would have served a critical function in our ancestral settings. This also explains why it is more likely to occur in groups with people who are familiar with each other, “clarifies Ruddock.
Society of abundance
As most of us now have no problem getting food on a daily basis, the “recent and rapid transition to a dietary landscape of abundant food has created forms of evolutionary mismatch. In the case of social facilitation, we have inherited a a mechanism that ensured an equitable distribution of food, but now exerts a powerful influence on unhealthy dietary intakes , “the authors continue.
Eating in the presence of others is also generally considered more enjoyable, so there may also be a psychological payoff for social eating, which can lead to overconsumption.
So the next time you sit down to a family meal, you may want to change the focus of the amount of food and dishes you are going to have, because you may not always have room for dessert, but surely there is always time for more socialization.
Referencia: Helen K Ruddock, Jeffrey M Brunstrom, Lenny R Vartanian, Suzanne Higgs. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the social facilitation of eating. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2019; 110 (4): 842 DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz155
