Eating together is called commensality in scientific literature. During it, people not only share food – they talk, create interpersonal connections, and receive emotional support.
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“Eating together is an important way to build relationships, strengthen trust, and get closer to others. It has significant consequences for our well-being,” said Jan Emmanuel De Neve, Professor of Economics and Behavioral Sciences at Oxford University, to the BBC.
Eating alone is associated with symptoms of depression
Chinese scientists surveyed more than 9,000 women over 60 years old. It turned out that women who ate alone more often experienced symptoms of depression more frequently, while those who ate with others had better emotional well-being.
This association remained even when researchers accounted for other factors that could affect well-being – participants’ health, financial situation, and whether they lived alone.
Similar results were found in Japan. Tokyo scientists determined that people aged 65–74 who lived with family but ate alone were five times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than those who regularly ate with others.
However, these studies do not prove that eating alone causes depression. It could be the opposite – a person feeling unwell may seek others’ company less often.
It matters who we eat with
The importance of eating together was also examined in preparing the World Happiness Report. About 150,000 people from various countries were asked how many times in the past week they had lunch or dinner with someone they knew.
The results showed a consistent trend: the more often people ate with others, the better they rated their emotional well-being and life satisfaction.
According to J.E. De Neve, the frequency of shared meals predicted a person’s life satisfaction almost as accurately as their employment or income compared to those around them.
True, more frequent shared meals may simply indicate that a person generally has more social connections. However, the professor believes that sitting together at one table itself can have a unique effect.
Eating can activate the endorphin system, contributing to feelings of pleasure. The company of others can enhance not only interpersonal connection but also the pleasure derived from the food itself. Experiments conducted by University of Pennsylvania scientist Erica Boothby showed that participants who ate chocolate in the company of another person rated it as tastier.
Differences found in the brain
Eating together may be linked not only to emotional but also cognitive health in older age.
In 2025, Japanese scientists found that people who regularly ate alone had smaller brain volumes in certain areas related to memory and other cognitive functions, including the hippocampus.
Some differences could be explained by poorer nutrition, as people eating alone generally chose less balanced food. However, this did not explain all observed changes.
Researchers suggest that eating together may help reduce stress and provide emotional support, while conversations at the table additionally stimulate the brain. Both factors may be important in aging.
However, the cognitive functions of study participants were normal. Therefore, it cannot be stated that eating alone causes dementia – only a possible association was found, which should be confirmed by further research.
Sometimes a simple invitation is enough
To feel the benefits of eating together, large family dinners are not necessary. Lunch with a colleague, dinner with a neighbor, or a cup of coffee with a loved one can be significant.
Research shows that we often underestimate how much others enjoy our company and how gladly they would accept an invitation to meet. Therefore, for a person who may also feel lonely, sometimes it is enough to offer to have lunch together.
The benefit may lie not in a special dish but in conversation, attention, and the feeling that we are not sitting alone at the table.
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