The ever-increasing number of people with nutritional intake-related diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes has led governments and scientists worldwide to closely monitor the food and beverage intake of inhabitants, to facilitate the development of healthy dietary habits. Here, we propose that when addressing the health implications of unhealthy eating, not only what people consume, but also how they consume should be considered. Due to recent technological and societal developments, such as digitization and the 24/7 economy, people can now engage in eating or drinking next to a wide array of competing activities at any place or time. Recent work suggests that distracting consumption settings, like eating behind one’s computer, or while texting on one’s smartphone, contribute to overconsumption of unhealthy foods and possibly even disturb metabolism. Thus, distracted consumption may have negative long-term health implications, pushing the need for a better understanding of its occurrence in people’s daily lives. However, the phenomenology of distracted consumption and its relationship with nutrition-related health problems is currently still poorly understood. In the current study we aim to fill these gaps by examining the phenomenology of distracted consumption in a large, representative sample of the Dutch population. We will investigate the associations of distracted consumption with unhealthy eating and drinking patterns and downstream negative health outcomes. In addition, we will examine different consumer profiles and map the importance of various predictive factors. To investigate this, we will combine traditional regression models with innovative statistical approaches such as machine learning, that suit the complexity of the number of variables involved. The study results will provide a starting point for future research into the mechanism behind the effects of distracted consumption on health. Furthermore, they can inform evidence-based recommendations on which consumption settings are associated with better health. In collaboration with the Netherlands Nutrition Centre the appropriate health messages will be effectively disseminated among relevant stakeholders.