Sharing a Meal May Help Regulate Blood Sugar, Study Finds
In preregistered experiments, people who ate a standardized carbohydrate meal with a companion had smaller glucose spikes and recovered faster than when eating alone. Social proximity also appeared to improve cold-temperature regulation and reduce stress responses in adults and infants, even without physical contact. The researchers propose that human physiology regulates itself more efficiently around trusted social partners.
The study involved experiments whose designs were registered before data collection. Volunteers ate a fixed carbohydrate meal either with another person or by themselves; the companion condition produced lower post-meal glucose peaks and quicker returns toward baseline. Separate trials examined cold exposure and stress, finding improved temperature control and dampened stress reactions in both adults and infants. Physical contact was not required.
The authors, from Hebrew University and Sheba Medical Center, published the work in Science Advances. They label the concept "Social Physiology," proposing that human homeostasis operates more efficiently near trusted social partners. The project received support from a European Research Council Starting Grant.
If these results hold, they could influence how clinicians, workplaces, schools, and families think about shared meals and companionship as supportive factors for metabolic and stress-related health. People managing blood sugar, infants, older adults, and those facing isolation may benefit from social proximity, though relationships cannot replace medical care, nutrition, or exercise. The work may also encourage more research into social conditions that shape physiology, while access to supportive companions remains uneven.