People with restricted diets more likely to feel lonely: Study

Holiday celebrations often revolve around eating, but people with restricted diets are more likely to feel lonely when they can't share in what others are eating, according to a study.

Across seven studies and controlled experiments, the researchers at Cornell University in the US found that food restrictions -- due to allergies, health issues or religious or cultural norms -- predicted loneliness among both children and adults.

"Despite being physically present with others, having a food restriction leaves people feeling left out because they are not able to take part in bonding over the meal," said Assistant Professor Kaitlin Woolley.

The study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, offers the first evidence that having a food restriction causes increased loneliness.

For example, in one experiment, assigning unrestricted individuals to experience a food restriction increased reported feelings of loneliness.

That suggests such feelings are not driven by ...