Is dining with others an indication of joy?

Individuals who partake in more meals with others generally report higher life satisfaction and are more inclined to showcase positive feelings, as indicated by research featured in the annual World Happiness Report. The study’s authors assert that sharing meals is as telling of happiness as income or job status — regardless of age, gender, nationality, culture, or religion.

Consequently, it could be problematic that the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey has found that Americans are increasingly spending time dining separately, a statistic the authors reference in their research. “In 2023, approximately 1 in 4 Americans admitted to eating all their meals alone the day before,” the study noted, “an average rise of 53 percent since 2003.” This pattern is consistent across all age demographics, with the most significant decline observed among younger people.

“It genuinely surprises me that this increase is so pronounced and severe,” remarked Micah Kaats, a doctoral student in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School, who co-authored the report.

Although the research indicates a robust association between the frequency of shared meals and happiness, it does not clarify if sharing meals fosters happiness or if content individuals are simply more inclined to share meals. “Most likely, I would be willing to bet that both propositions are accurate,” Kaats stated, “however, determining which of those aspects holds more weight is certainly a challenge for future inquiries.”

Meal sharing and happiness in the U.S.

The correlation itself marks an important advancement for the field, according to Kaats, partly because happiness is challenging to assess. When researchers request individuals to evaluate themselves on a scale from one to ten regarding happiness, Kaats indicates it can be difficult to define what a one or a ten signifies for each individual on a given day.

While such subjective evaluations can offer insights to social scientists and policymakers, researchers frequently rely on income, insurance rates, and other elements that have demonstrated strong correlational ties to well-being as substitutes. However, these factors themselves can also be difficult to quantify. “Many individuals are hesitant to disclose their income,” Kaats remarked. “Those who are willing to report their income constitute a distinct group.” Consequently, it becomes difficult to determine the validity of what’s reported, the kind of income one might disclose (Gross? Household? Net?), and how incomes can be compared across nations and over time.

In contrast to these frequently utilized metrics, the frequency of shared meals is relatively straightforward: “Yesterday, did you have lunch or dinner with someone you know?” Kaats hopes this question will find relevance alongside other objective metrics related to social connections — such as the prevalence of civic organizations or the count of political groups per county — that are employed to evaluate nebulous concepts like happiness and social trust.

In upcoming studies, Kaats aspires to uncover whether individuals become happier as they share more meals. Nevertheless, he maintains that the relationship between shared meals and happiness is significant in its own right. “If I seek to understand your well-being, it’s far more enlightening for me to learn how many meals you shared with others in the previous week than to know your income,” he stated, “so regardless of the causal relationships involved, that appears vital and intriguing and deserving of additional exploration.”

As researchers and policymakers grapple with deteriorating mental health and rising social isolation, shared meals could serve as both a crucial indicator of well-being and a potential focus for policy intervention.

“We can’t tackle every issue simultaneously,” Kaats remarked, “but if we can encourage individuals to share more meals with each other, and this could enhance their well-being, it’s a promising starting point.”