Why Dining in Groups Changes Our Eating Habits

Dining with friends or family is generally an enjoyable, social experience. Even if we do have positive group dining experiences, it’s undeniable that we change our eating behaviours during these times. Quite often, we can be motivated to overindulge or even feel pressure to restrict our eating. Either way, there can be some explanation offered as to why this happens. A Study of Dining In the 1980s, health psychologist John de Castro completed a series of diary studies that highlighted the social influences in eating. By 1994, there were over 500 personal accounts from people who ate in company or alone. Generally, it was found that...