One in three people eat most meals alone, study finds

One in three people go for an entire week without eating a meal with someone else, according to a study.

Research from The Big Lunch about food and socialising found a third of weekday evening meals are eaten alone and a quarter of adults dine by themselves at weekends.

The survey of 2,000 UK adults also revealed one in five grown-up children had not shared a meal with their parents for six months.

Oxford University professor Robin Dunbar, who worked on the study, said: “Taking the time to sit down together over a meal helps create social networks that in turn have profound effects on our physical and mental health, our happiness and wellbeing, and even our sense of purpose in life.

“But this study shows that, in the UK, we are becoming less socially engaged.”

The charity wants millions of people to have lunch with their neighbours on Sunday, June 12.