Eating out twice a day increases the risk of all-cause mortality by 49% and cancer mortality by 67%.

Nowadays, people living in cities are so busy that cooking has become a luxury. Basically, they eat three meals a day in restaurants or rely on takeout.

Statistics show that the number of takeout users in my country has reached nearly 500 million, with those born in the 1980s and 1990s being the main consumers. In addition to the traditional three meals a day, afternoon tea and supper have become new favorites for consumers to order takeout. The consumer penetration rate of takeout in my country's first-, second-, and third-tier cities has reached 96.31%.

However, this eating pattern can affect health. A study of Italians found that people living in areas with a high density of fast food restaurants had a 2.52 times higher risk of all-cause mortality; another study found that for every 10% increase in the density of fast food restaurants in an area, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease increased by 1.39 times, and the risk of death from non-cardiovascular disease increased by 1.36 times.

Going out to eat or ordering takeout is certainly convenient, time-saving, fun, you don't have to do it yourself, the food is delicious, and there are many people and it's lively. However, the food in the restaurant is often more energy-dense, contains more fat and sodium, and those ingredients that are generally recognized as healthy, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dietary fiber, antioxidants, etc. are much less.

Does eating out increase the risk of death?

Recently, a cohort study of more than 35,000 people showed that, compared with people who rarely eat out, eating at least two meals a day out is associated with a 49% increased risk of all-cause mortality, an 18% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and a 67% increased risk of death from cancer.

【Why does eating out affect your health? 】

Possible causes include:

1. Food outside contains more saturated fat and sodium, and less calcium, iron, and fiber than homemade meals. High sodium intake, low whole grain intake, and low fruit intake are the main dietary risk factors for death worldwide.

2. Eating out makes it easier to ingest more toxic chemicals. For example, plastic containers contain phthalates, a plasticizer that can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

3. Eating out frequently indicates busy work and high pressure, which is also associated with an increased risk of death.

【What is eating out? 】

This includes any food that is not homemade, whether it is eating out, ordering takeout, eating ultra-processed foods, or even frozen meals.

Can’t we just eat some healthy food outside?

Can!

However, the reality is that the main reason people eat out is to save trouble or to satisfy their appetite. Healthy eating often means eating more "grass" and less oil, salt and seasoning, which makes it less delicious. People generally can't stick to it for long. It's also difficult to run a restaurant that provides this kind of healthy food, either it's high-end or it's expensive.

The question is, why can we eat healthier by cooking at home?

What do you think?

Association Between Frequency of Eating Away-From-Home Meals and Risk of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality

DOI:doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2021.01.012