Dating on a Diet: How Food Is Dividing Relationships

The popularity spike of specialty diets and food restrictions over recent years could have us
assume that newly trim, gluten-free bellies are not only giving singles a confidence boost, but creating an optimized dating pool for people who care about what they eat. I mean, if you follow a low-carb diet and I’m a vegan we can probably at least agree that McDonald’s is out of the question as a first date restaurant, right?

But as it turns out, it’s not so straightforward. The pickiest eaters also happen to make the pickiest daters. A new study out of PlentyOfFish surveyed over 500 singles in 10 of North America’s most health conscious cities, and found that dietary restrictions are actually preventing new relationships and polarizing singles.

Vegan Diet: 50% of vegans don’t want to date another vegan
Paleo Diet: 50% of paleo dieters don’t want to date a vegetarian
Gluten-Free Diet: 20% of gluten-free dieters don’t want to date a low-carb dieter
Low-Carb Diet: 31% of low-carb dieters don’t want to date a vegetarian
Vegetarian: 25% of vegetarians don’t want to date a paleo dieter

So… which eating habits are considered the most eligible? Despite following any of the diets or lifestyles above, 72% of respondents wanted to date someone without any dietary restrictions. But why?

“Our food choices and diet patterns are very intricate and complex at the best of times,” said Crystal Higgins, Registered Dietician, when asked to weigh in on these findings.“People can be less accepting of their date’s dieting habits if they feel that their own food choices might be compromised. Many people are turned off by the thought of giving up their favorite meals to make concessions for their partner.”

As it turns out, many times people are turned off enough to pressure their partners to eat better when they do find themselves in relationships. 50 percent of vegans, 32 percent of gluten-free dieters, and 28 percent of paleo dieters admit to challenging the eating habits of their significant others. And if you’re dating a vegan, hopefully you’re open to changing your diet, because almost 20% of vegans have broken up with a partner over their eating habits.

Do you follow one of the diets listed above? Do eating habits play a role in your dating life? Have you ever ended a relationship over eating habits?