Researchers in India studied young adults who work in offices to see how often eating restaurant food affects their health. They used smartphones to track what people ate and found that people who eat out frequently have higher chances of developing serious health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The study suggests that eating home-cooked meals more often might help prevent these diseases. This research is important because more and more young people are eating out instead of cooking at home, especially in cities.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Does eating restaurant and takeout food frequently increase the risk of developing serious health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity in young working adults?
  • Who participated: Young adults (likely ages 20-40) who work in Pune, India. The exact number of participants wasn’t specified in the available information, but they were tracked using smartphone apps to record their meals.
  • Key finding: Young adults who regularly eat food prepared away from home appear to have a higher risk of developing non-communicable diseases (serious health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease) compared to those who eat home-cooked meals more often.
  • What it means for you: If you’re a young working adult who frequently eats out, you may want to cook more meals at home. This doesn’t mean never eating out, but making home-cooked meals your main source of food could help protect your long-term health. Keep in mind this is one study, and individual results vary based on overall lifestyle choices.

The Research Details

Researchers recruited young working adults in Pune, India and asked them to use smartphone apps to record everything they ate over a period of time. This allowed the researchers to track exactly how much food each person ate from restaurants, takeout places, and other food establishments away from home, compared to meals they prepared themselves. At the same time, the researchers collected information about whether these participants had developed health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or heart disease.

This type of study is called a ‘cross-sectional’ study, which means researchers looked at a group of people at one point in time rather than following them over many years. The smartphone app approach is modern and helpful because it captures real eating habits without relying on people’s memory, which can be unreliable when asked to recall what they ate weeks or months ago.

The researchers then analyzed the data to see if there was a connection between how often people ate food away from home and whether they had developed health problems.

Using smartphone apps to track diet is more accurate than asking people to remember what they ate, which is the traditional method. This technology-based approach gives researchers better information about real eating patterns. The study is also relevant because eating out is becoming increasingly common among young working adults in India and worldwide, making this a timely and important health question.

The study was published in BMC Nutrition, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, which means other experts reviewed the research before publication. The use of smartphone technology for dietary tracking is a strength because it reduces memory errors. However, the sample size and specific participant numbers weren’t provided in the available information, which makes it harder to assess how broadly these findings apply. The study was conducted in one city (Pune), so results may not apply equally to all populations.

What the Results Show

The research found that young working adults in Pune who regularly eat food prepared away from home have higher rates of non-communicable diseases compared to those who eat home-cooked meals more frequently. Non-communicable diseases include conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity—health problems that develop over time rather than being caused by infections.

The connection between eating out frequently and developing these health problems appears to be consistent across different groups studied. This suggests that the type of food served in restaurants and takeout establishments, combined with portion sizes and eating habits when eating out, may contribute to disease risk.

The study provides evidence that dietary patterns—specifically where food comes from—play an important role in whether young adults develop serious health conditions. This is particularly significant because young people often think health problems only happen to older adults, but this research shows that eating habits established in youth can affect health throughout life.

The research likely examined specific types of health problems separately (such as diabetes rates versus obesity rates) to see if eating out affects different conditions differently. The study probably also looked at how often people need to eat out before health risks increase—in other words, is eating out once a week different from eating out five times a week? Understanding these details helps people know how much change they might need to make.

Previous research worldwide has shown that eating food prepared away from home is linked to weight gain and health problems. This study adds to that evidence by specifically examining young working adults in India, where eating out is becoming more common as cities grow and more people work in offices. The findings align with global trends showing that restaurant and processed foods tend to be higher in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats compared to home-cooked meals.

The study was conducted only in Pune, India, so the results may not apply equally to young adults in other cities or countries with different food cultures and restaurant options. The study looked at people at one point in time rather than following them over many years, so we can’t be completely certain that eating out causes health problems—it’s possible that people with health problems change their eating habits. The exact number of people studied wasn’t provided, which affects how confident we can be in the results. Additionally, the study relied on people accurately recording their food intake on their phones, and some people may have been more careful about this than others.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a young working adult, try to prepare and eat home-cooked meals at least 4-5 days per week. When you do eat out, choose options with vegetables, lean proteins, and smaller portions. This recommendation has moderate confidence because it’s supported by this study plus previous research, though individual results depend on overall diet quality and lifestyle factors like exercise and sleep.

Young working adults (especially those in cities where eating out is convenient) should pay attention to these findings. People with family histories of diabetes, heart disease, or obesity should be particularly interested. However, these findings don’t mean you can never eat out—it’s about balance and making home-cooked meals your primary source of food. People with very active lifestyles or specific dietary needs should consult with a healthcare provider or nutritionist about what works best for them.

You won’t see immediate changes, but over 3-6 months of eating more home-cooked meals, you may notice improvements in energy levels, digestion, and how you feel. Measurable health improvements like weight loss or better blood sugar control typically take 3-6 months to become apparent, with more significant changes visible over 1-2 years.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Use your app to log where each meal comes from: home-cooked, restaurant, takeout, or food delivery. Set a weekly goal to have at least 70% of meals be home-prepared. Track this as a percentage each week to see your progress.
  • Start by picking one meal per day to prepare at home instead of eating out. For example, if you usually buy lunch at work, pack a home-prepared lunch 2-3 days per week. Gradually increase this number as it becomes a habit. Use your app to plan meals the night before so you’re prepared.
  • Weekly: Review your meal source log and calculate the percentage of home-cooked meals. Monthly: Note any changes in how you feel (energy, digestion, sleep quality). Every 3 months: If possible, track simple health markers like weight or how your clothes fit. Use the app’s trend feature to visualize your progress toward eating more home-cooked meals.

This research suggests a connection between frequently eating food away from home and increased risk of serious health conditions, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Individual health outcomes depend on many factors including overall diet quality, physical activity, genetics, sleep, and stress levels. If you have concerns about your health or risk of diseases like diabetes or heart disease, please consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian. This study was conducted in India and may not apply equally to all populations. Always discuss significant dietary changes with a healthcare professional, especially if you have existing health conditions or take medications.