The Social Dimension of Eating Behavior
A psychologist from Mannheim shows that social contexts have a greater influence on eating behavior than previously thought
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In a recent review article, Mannheim-based health psychologist Prof. Dr. Jutta Mata challenges existing research that primarily views eating behavior as an individual activity. She advocates for examining meals within their social context in the future and aligning measures for healthier eating with this approach. The article appeared in *Nature Reviews Psychology*.
The issue of nutrition is a major challenge of our time—both for individual and public health and for the “health” of our planet. In recent years, numerous intervention programs have been implemented to encourage people to adopt a healthier, more plant-based diet. “These programs have mostly failed to meet their goals. My hypothesis: because eating was conceived of as an individual activity, even though it also has a strong social component,” says Prof. Dr. Jutta Mata of the University of Mannheim.
In a recent article published in the journal *Nature Reviews Psychology*, the health psychologist argues that eating fulfills a central social function and has always been embedded in social contexts. “Eating is far more than a basic physical need,” says Mata. Eating—and shared meals in particular—have numerous dimensions: They can be enjoyable, are based on trust—for example, when we eat food that someone else has prepared—have a ritualistic character, are culturally shaped, and can strengthen a sense of belonging to a group—for instance, through religious dietary laws or a vegetarian diet.
Some social aspects of eating have already been well studied. Studies show, for example, that shared family meals have a positive effect on the weight of children and adolescents and influence their well-being: on days when they shared meals, respondents felt happier and less stressed. Furthermore, shared meals can even mitigate the effects of conflicts within the family. “This is just one example, but eating behavior is significant for so many aspects of health that a psychological understanding of it is enormously important.”
Mata suggests developing new methodological approaches and making greater use of modern methods such as sensor technologies and Bluetooth-based proximity tracking. “Experimental studies in natural social contexts are rare, and only a few focus on other relevant groups such as siblings, peers, or coworkers. Lifespan approaches that examine how the influence of social contexts on eating behavior evolves over time would also be useful.” Mata is convinced: “If we begin to study eating behavior in its natural social context, we can develop more effective interventions to promote healthier eating for both people and the planet.”
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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