Eating with a loved one keeps post-meal blood glucose levels lower than when eating alone, according to a new study.
Participants who ate a standardised carbohydrate meal in the company of partners showed smaller glucose spikes and recovered their normal levels more quickly than people who ate alone, the study found.
The study, led by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and published in the journal Science Advances on Wednesday, proposes “social physiology” as the explanation for the findings. It’s the idea that the human body regulates itself more efficiently in the presence of people it is close to.
"We used to think of the body as an isolated system that regulates itself," professor Shir Atzil, the lead author of the study, said.
"Our findings show that human physiology is inherently social. Being close to someone you love lowers the physical energy your body spends on regulating itself."
The effect went beyond blood sugar. Social proximity also improved how well participants regulated body temperature during cold exposure and reduced stress responses in both adults and infants, the study found.
The benefits appeared even without physical touch and the researchers said they weren’t explained by reduced stress alone.
The findings build on earlier research linking companionship to blood sugar regulation. A 2023 study published by the British Medical Journal found that adults aged 50 and over who lived with partners had lower average glucose levels than those living alone, regardless of whether the relationship was harmonious or strained.
A 2021 study at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona found that adolescents who shared regular family meals without digital devices and with unhurried conversation were better able to recognise when they were full, helping to prevent obesity.
"Blood sugar regulation is not just about what we eat, but who we eat with," Prof Atzil argued. "Our relationships have an active biological role in our physical wellbeing."
The researchers said social closeness was not a substitute for medical care, nutrition or exercise but that the people around someone represented a significant and previously overlooked factor in their health.
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