In the U.S., we tend to share meals less frequently than we did 20 years ago, with almost a third of people regularly eating alone. This shift is believed to stem from broader changes in social networks, affecting family and friendship dynamics, and was further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual World Happiness Report, published on March 20, 2025, highlights a strong link between sharing meals and improved well-being.
Researchers from London’s Global University (UCL), the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Gallup, Inc. examined how meal-sharing compares to income and employment status in influencing happiness levels.
What Is the World Happiness Report?
Every spring, the World Happiness Report is published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup, Inc., the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and an independent editorial board.
By quantifying happiness, the report ranks countries based on subjective well-being and explores influencing factors, aiming to guide policymakers and promote global well-being.
Each year, the report selects a specific theme for in-depth analysis. The 2025 edition focuses on the impact of caring and sharing on happiness, covering topics like kindness, meal-sharing, cohabitation, social connections, trust, and generosity.
Read More: Contentment is the Most Underrated Key to Happiness
Lonely Meal vs. Happy Meal
Using data from 142 countries collected in 2022 and 2023 through the Gallup World Poll, researchers analyzed responses from over 150,000 people regarding meal-sharing habits and happiness levels. Participants rated their life satisfaction on a scale from 0 (worst possible life) to 10 (best possible life). The findings revealed a clear trend: countries whose people reported frequent meal-sharing also reported higher well-being.
“This is the first time that data on meal sharing has been collected and analyzed at a global scale. We already knew how important social connections are for wellbeing, but we were surprised by the strength of the connection of meal sharing with positive life evaluations and emotions,” said co-author of the chapter Alberto Prati, from UCL Arts & Humanities, in a press release.
Individuals who regularly share meals tend to rate their overall life satisfaction higher than those who eat alone, with an average increase of one point (one-tenth) in their self-reported well-being. Researchers discovered that how often people eat with others is just as influential in predicting happiness as income level and can even be more telling than employment status. This trend was consistent across various demographics, including age, gender, and cultural background.
Differences Across Countries
Globally, Caribbean and Latin American populations share the highest number of meals per week (an average of nine). Western Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand follow with eight shared meals per week. South Asia reported about seven meals, while East Asia had the lowest frequency at nearly six shared meals per week.
To assess recent U.S. trends, researchers analyzed data from the American Time Use Survey (2003 to 2023). The findings showed a clear increase in solitary eating: the percentage of Americans who eat all their meals alone has risen to 26 percent, marking a 50 percent increase since 2003. This group of lonely eaters is led by people older than 65, but there has also been a significant rise in solitary dining among individuals under 35 since 2018.
Researchers suggest that the rapid increase in solo dining, particularly since early 2020, may be linked to pandemic-driven behavioral shifts. More broadly, they propose that this trend reflects long-term changes in social structures and a decline in social capital — the network of community ties and relationships that support a well-functioning society in the U.S.
Prati added in the news release, “We believe that these findings have useful policy implications and highlight the number of shared meals as a promising yet understudied comparative index for social research.”
Read More: Try These 6 Science-Backed Secrets to Happiness
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
Gallup: The Gallup World Poll
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: American Time Use Survey
World Happiness Report: WHR Dashboard
Having worked as a biomedical research assistant in labs across three countries, Jenny excels at translating complex scientific concepts – ranging from medical breakthroughs and pharmacological discoveries to the latest in nutrition – into engaging, accessible content. Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories. When she’s not immersed in a popular science book, you’ll find her catching waves or cruising around Vancouver Island on her longboard.
