Meals without company may prove fatal to the heart. Research shows that solitary meals hurt us, and even more so in women.
Previously, it was found that eating alone has a negative effect on mental and physical health, so the researchers aimed to find out how eating alone is related to cardiovascular disease and diet.
Women's hearts become more vulnerable as they enter old age, and older women who eat mostly alone have been shown to be more likely to have angina and worse nutrition than those who ate with friends, according to a South Korean study published in the journal Menopause.
"Traditionally, eating with others has been the norm in South Korea because of culture," wrote Han-Gyo Choi, PhD, RN, of the Nursing College of the Korean University of Seoul, and colleagues. "However, a growing number of people are eating on their own due to the growing number of nuclear families and single-person households."
The social distance during his pandemic COVID-19 and food delivery services have simply added to that, the researchers said.
Lonely meals are associated with more chances of abdominal obesity and hypertension and it has been found that these people eat faster and experience more loneliness at each meal.
Fast food results in an increase in Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure and blood lipid levels, which in turn increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.
On the other hand, loneliness in the meal and the emotions it brings with it, is mentioned as a risk factor for depression, a path with increased chances of leading to cardiovascular disease.
Source: edaily