A global study led by a researcher from University College London (UCL) has found that people who regularly share meals with others tend to feel happier and more satisfied with their lives. This simple, everyday habit appears to be just as important to well-being as having a job or earning a good income.
The study, featured in the 2024 World Happiness Report, involved researchers from UCL, the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Gallup. It’s the first time meal-sharing habits have been studied on a global scale and linked so clearly to personal well-being.
The researchers looked at data from more than 150,000 people across 142 countries, collected in 2022 and 2023 through the Gallup World Poll. People were asked how many meals they had shared with someone they knew in the past week, along with questions about their general life satisfaction and happiness.
The results were striking. Across all countries, ages, and income levels, people who shared more meals reported higher life satisfaction. On average, those who always shared their lunches and dinners rated their lives one full point higher on a scale from 0 (worst possible life) to 10 (best possible life) compared to people who usually ate alone.
This is a big difference—if people in the UK reported just one point higher, for example, the country would rank as the second happiest in the world.
Sharing meals, the researchers say, turned out to be as strong an indicator of well-being as income or job status. In fact, knowing how often someone shares meals can tell us more about their overall happiness than knowing whether or not they are employed.
Dr. Alberto Prati, the study’s lead author from UCL, said, “We already knew social connections were important for well-being, but we were surprised by how strongly meal sharing was linked to higher life satisfaction and positive emotions.”
Meal sharing appears to bring people closer together in a relaxed and natural way. Sitting down to eat together gives people a chance to talk, connect, and support one another—things that are known to improve mental health and emotional well-being.
The study also revealed large differences between regions. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean reported the highest number of shared meals, with people there eating about nine lunches or dinners per week with others.
Western Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand followed closely with just over eight shared meals per week. At the other end, South Asian countries averaged fewer than four shared meals per week, and East Asia averaged about six. In the UK, people shared around 7.5 meals per week—just over four dinners and around three lunches.
The U.S. was studied more closely to understand how mealtime habits have changed over time. Researchers used data from the American Time Use Survey, which showed that more Americans are now dining alone than ever before. In 2023, about 26% of U.S. adults reported eating all of their meals alone the previous day—an increase of more than 50% since 2003.
While older adults (over 65) are still the most likely to eat alone, young adults (under 35) have shown a sharp rise in solo dining since 2018. Researchers believe the COVID-19 pandemic likely accelerated this trend, with lockdowns and social distancing keeping people apart and disrupting shared routines.
They also suggest that broader social changes in the U.S.—like weaker community ties and busier individual lifestyles—may be playing a role. As people become more isolated, they may be missing out on the everyday social bonding that mealtimes once provided.
Review and Analysis
This study provides powerful evidence that sharing meals is about much more than just eating. It is a meaningful social activity that supports mental and emotional health. Regularly eating with family, friends, or even coworkers seems to boost feelings of connection, purpose, and happiness.
Importantly, the effect of meal sharing is consistent across different cultures and economic levels, making it a potentially universal measure of social well-being. It offers a simple, low-cost tool that individuals, families, communities, and policymakers can use to improve quality of life.
The research also highlights the potential risks of increasing social isolation, especially in wealthier nations like the U.S. As more people dine alone, they may be missing out on a key source of daily connection and emotional support. Promoting shared meals—at home, in schools, or in the workplace—could help strengthen community ties and support public health.
According to Dr. Prati, these findings could help shape future public policies and offer a new way to measure well-being in both national and international surveys. Tracking how often people share meals might even become a valuable new tool for understanding social health.
In a world where happiness is often tied to income or status, this study is a reminder that the simple act of sitting down to eat with others might be one of the most powerful—and overlooked—ways to feel better and live well.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about how ultra-processed foods and red meat influence your longevity, and why seafood may boost healthy aging.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the power of pickle juice and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
The research findings can be found in University of Oxford.
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