Shunning home-cooking could lead to early death

EATING out twice a day significantly increases the risk of early death, scientists warn today.

Those who often eat meals cooked outside of the home have a 49 per cent higher likelihood of dying before their time, the experts said.

This could be because such food is usually less nutritious.

The scientists warn that frequently eating out – whether it be a sandwich in a cafe, dinner at a restaurant or a takeaway meal – may not be a healthy habit.

The researchers, from the University of Iowa in the US, analysed data on 35,000 adults. They found those who ate two meals or more per day away from home were 49 per cent more likely to die early compared with those who ate less than one meal a week out.

Those who regularly dined out were also found to have a 67 per cent higher risk of dying from cancer, and an 18 per cent greater risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke.

These results hold even when age, sex, diet and lifestyle factors are taken into consideration. The researchers, whose study was published today in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, point to evidence that food eaten away from home is usually higher in fat and salt while being lower in fruit, vegetables and whole grains. This is especially the case for meals from fast-food outlets.

Wei Bao, lead investigator of the research, said: ‘Our findings, in line with previous studies, support that eating out frequently is associated with adverse health consequences and may inform future dietary guidelines to recommend reducing consumption of meals prepared away from home.’

The proportion of UK household food and drink budgets spent out of the home, excluding alcohol, rose from 21 per cent in 1995 to 28 per cent in 2017-18, official data shows.

‘Higher in fat and salt’