Fewer people are eating in a way they consider healthy –– and they don’t even like it, according to new data. Fresh research from Gallup collected information from over 140 countries about how people think about their food, including how healthy they consider it, how much they enjoy what they eat, and how much food choice is available to them.
Globally, 81% of people said in 2023 they enjoyed their food in the past week, which was down from 87% the year before. About 75% of people said they ate mostly healthy, compared with 82% in 2022, according to the survey. In the United States, the percentage of people who felt they ate mostly healthy foods dropped from 83% in 2022 to 71% in 2023.
Researchers cannot yet say why healthy eating and food satisfaction have been on the decline, but enjoying your food is key to other aspects of good, happy living, said Andrew Dugan, consulting principal researcher at Gallup. Eating food you consider healthy and satisfying is connected to other indicators of a positive life rating, including feeling socially connected and part of a community.
Having a good meal is a gift that keeps giving, Dugan said. Ignoring the “satisfaction factor” of a meal –– as dietitian Natalie Mokari calls it –– is not helpful if you are trying to eat in a way you find healthy. “When we end a meal feeling satisfied, we’re much less likely to engage in mindless snacking, looking for something else,” Mokari said.
What you eat and how you eat it might contribute to how satisfying you find your meal, Mokari said. Food affordability and accessibility was shown in the data to be a huge barrier to enjoyment and satisfaction, Dugan said. To overcome this, try to find affordable staples like canned beans and make satisfying meals. Prioritize carving out time to plan and prepare food you like that will give you the nutrients you need.
Then, put down your phone and enjoy your meal. With a lot of her clients, the “satisfaction factor goes down when we are distracted while eating,” Mokari said. “More often than not, people are eating and watching TV at the same time, scrolling their phones, or eating fast on the run. None of these are generally maximizing the satisfaction of a meal.” Taking a break from work to dedicate 10 minutes to your meal can make eating more enjoyable, Mokari recommends.
