Do you prefer to eat alone while in the cafeteria or maybe even at the local food court? Your need for space could be slowly killing you according to new research.

The NY Post says that a new study by a Korea health survey says that people who ate meals twice a day alone were more likely to have metabolic syndrome over those who ate with others.

The Handbook of Clinical Nutrition defines metabolic syndrome as a cluster of metabolic and anthropometric traits including glucose intolerance, upper body fat distribution, hypertension, dysfibrinolysis, and a dyslipidemia.

Individuals who ate alone 2 or more times per day showed higher frequency of living alone, having no spouse, skip meals, and less eating out.

So what's this mean? People who eat alone may have more unhealthy eating habits and may even binge eat. People who eat with their families probably have more access to healthier home cooked meals. Plus, the dinner table conversations actually help cut down on binge eating too much.

Men may be more at risk according to the findings. The study says that men who ate alone had a 45% percent greater risk of being obese. Maybe it's all the fast food?

On the upside, eating alone means you don't have to listen to annoying friends or coworkers talk with their mouth full or listen extended family members you don't complain about other family members. Space can be good.

And of course, another study may come along in about three years that refutes these findings and says there's no link between eating alone and being unhealthy....so take it with a grain of salt.

....just not too much salt.

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