A survey conducted by Butterball discovered that Americans are spending an average of $1,100 on takeout food every year. That's around $21 on a weekly basis. Moreover, one of four Americans was found to order online at least once a week. According to Newsy, these results were based on a survey of 1,000 people. Cited reasons were mainly laziness and craving for certain type of food. Additionally, Forbes reported that Visa has discovered Americans are going out for lunch an average of twice a week, spending about $936 each year. That's according to data released from a survey of 1,003 adults across the country. That's how much take-out food or home-delivery services have been earning. Companies like GrubHub and Seamless make it even easier to satisfy your cravings or have your favourite meal delivered right on your doorstep.

The real challenge now is to know the implications of this growing habit. Researchers are now looking into the health and nutrition repercussions of this whole new world of dining. Surprisingly, evidence suggests that takeout may actually have beneficial effects to health. For one thing, food choices have expanded exponentially. Healthy and gourmet meals are readily available for delivery and takeouts now.

A study published in Preventive Medicine in February showed that women who spent more time fixing their own meals were actually more likely to develop markers of metabolic syndrome, such as higher blood pressure and increased levels of blood sugar and triglycerides. "We assumed cooking at home would be healthier," says lead study author Brad Appelhans, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. "That's not necessarily the case, however. When you're making fabulous gourmet dishes from scratch, you may be tempted to eat more."

Another study conducted at the University of Connecticut shows that women who ordered online groceries had healthier diet patterns. "Delivery can really help people stay away from impulse purchases, stick with dietary goals, and make better decisions," Amy Gorin, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Connecticut, says. Not only that, it frees up time for exercise as well. Another study from Ohio State University shows that when people make their own food, they're less likely to work out because they can't squeeze fitness into their schedules. "We have approximately 45 minutes a day for these healthy behaviours, which means we don't have time to exercise and cook. We can do one or the other, but not both," says study author Rachel Tumin, a doctoral student at the university's College of Public Health.