Peak time to order a snack is the same the world over

SINCE the dawn of time man has known that a rumbling stomach means it is time to hunt.

A study has found that this natural sense of hunger is still intact today and can be clearly mapped online through takeaway orders.

Researchers found that by tracing internet searches for pizza and Chinese takeaway deliveries they established that there are two peak times that humans want to seek out food.

The study, using search terms such as food ordering app ‘Just Eat’, found the peak time that humans feel the desire to seek out something to eat is 7pm and 2am.

Academics looked at internet searches for takeaway deliveries from across the UK, US, Canada, Australia and India in order to compile a database.

From this, they were able to see that ancient desires to ‘forage’ for food could be clearly seen during the same peak intervals on the world wide web – regardless of time differences or location.

And it is theorised that rather than people pigging out on two takeaway meals a day, the two peak times represent two different parts of the population – early birds and night owls.

The study also found that people were more likely to order a takeaway toward the end of the working week rather than a Monday night.

A clear linear graph showed that more deliveries were ordered from Monday through to Sunday, with Saturday appearing to be the peak.

Authors Nicolas Scrutton Alvarado and Tyler J. Stevenson from the University of Aberdeen said the behaviour shows a ‘robust clear rhythmicity’ to when people want to eat.

In their paper, to be published by the Royal Society, the pair said: ‘The patterns suggest a common internet seeking behaviour rhythm that is not culture-dependent.’

‘Global pattern to hunger urge’