People eat more when dining with friends and family

People eat more with friends and family than when dining alone - a possible throwback to our early ancestors' approach to survival, according to a new study. Previous studies found that those eating with others ate up to 48 per cent more food than solo diners and women with obesity eating socially consumed up to 29 per cent more than when eating alone. This phenomenon is known as 'social facilitation'. Experts at the Universities of Bristol, Birmingham and New South Wales found that eating 'socially' has a powerful effect on increasing food intake relative to dining alone, after evaluating 42 existing studies of research into social dining. They explain that ancient hunter gatherers shared food because it protected against periods of food insecurity - this survival mechanism may still persist today, leading to people eating more with friends and family because: Eating with others is more enjoyable and enhanced reward from social eating could increase consumption. Social norms might 'permit' overeating in company but sanction it when eating alone. Providing food becomes associated with praise and recognition from friends and family, strengthening social bonds.