Regular mealtime with other family members reduces stress significantly, reveal 91% of parents

Connecting with friends, family, coworkers and neighbors benefits people beyond stress relief. In fact, the survey found 67% of people say sharing a meal remind them of the importance of connecting with other people, and 54% say it reminds them to slow down and take a break.

Those surveyed say they are more likely (59%) to make healthier food choices when eating with other people but have difficulty aligning schedules with their friends or family to do so, according to the survey. Overall, respondents reported eating alone about half of the time.

"We know it's not always as easy as it sounds to get people together at mealtime. Like other healthy habits, give yourself permission to start small and build from there," Michos said. "Set a goal to gather friends, family or coworkers for one more meal together each week. If you can't get together in person, think about how you can share a meal together over the phone or a computer."

The American Heart Association's survey also identified the majority (65%) of adults say they are at least somewhat stressed and more than a quarter (27%) are extremely or very stressed. Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) of survey respondents who are employed full or part-time said they would feel less stressed at work if they had more time to take a break and share a meal with a co-worker.