If home is where the heart is, there may be emotional reasons why we eat more healthily when we stay in than when we dine out, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers at McGill University in Montreal surveyed 160 women about their emotional state before and after meals. They found that the women tended to eat healthier when they were in a good mood: the better food choices were triggered by more positive emotions, and choosing healthier food made the women feel better about themselves.
The cycle of positive reinforcement was more pronounced when the women ate at home instead of dining out – the researchers hypothesize people are generally more content and comfortable at home.
The study has only looked at white, English-speaking, non-obese women so far and more research is needed to see if the results extend across ethnicity, gender, body type and age-range.
The study’s authors hope new techniques could be developed based upon "interpersonal communications, home design and atmospheric cues," such as, "music, dining landscape, and kitchen equipment, which have all been found to induce positive emotions in both everyday and laboratory contexts."