The Effect of Eating Alone and Eating with Familiar or Unfamiliar Others on Food Intake: A Systematic Review
https://doi.org/10.47836/mjmhs.19.1.35
- Author:
Noraishah Mohamed Nor
1
;
Nurul Khaleda Mohd Nasir
1
;
Nor Azwani Mohd Shukri
1
Author Information
1. Department of Nutrition Sciences, Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Other Types
- Keywords:
Eating alone, Eating with familiar others, Eating with unfamiliar others, Social modeling, Social facilitation
- From:Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences
2023;19(No.1):272-279
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Aims and Design: Individuals’ food intake may vary depending on their situation and with whom they are having
their meal. Thus this systematic review aimed to compare the effect of social facilitation between eating alone and
eating with others, and evaluate the social modeling effect when eating with familiar or unfamiliar others, on food
intake. Data Sources: Articles were screened and reviewed based on titles, abstracts and keywords. Inclusion criteria
included experimental design, English language, open-accessed, and published from 1980 until the review was conducted in 2018. Review Methods: Using the PRISMA method, potential studies were identified on Science Direct,
ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, and BASE databases using two different keywords combinations. Results: Seventeen
studies were included. For social facilitation, seven studies found that food intake increases when eating alone while
five others stated it would increase when eating with others. One study suggested that it increases in both situations.
For social modeling of food intake, two studies found that it commonly occurs when an individual eats in the presence of unfamiliar others, while one study reported that it happens more often with familiar others. Two other studies
observed that social modeling occurs in both situations. Conclusion and Impact: Food intake tends to increase when
eating alone than eating with others while the presence of familiar or unfamiliar others may either increase or limit an
individual’s food consumption to socially match their co-eaters’ intake. Thus, good self-control is crucial for setting
a dietary limit regardless of whether ones are eating alone or with familiar or unfamiliar others.
- Full text:11.2023my1435.pdf
