Correlates of Meal Skipping in Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

In this cross-sectional analysis of 10,071 community dwelling adults aged ≥70 years, we examined factors associated with meal skipping (self-reported) using multivariable logistic regression. Prevalence of meal skipping in this study was 19.5%. The adjusted odds (aOR [95%CI]) of meal skipping were lower in those 85+ years (vs. 70–74.9 years, 0.56 [0.45–0.70]), and in those in regional areas (vs. urban area, 0.81 [0.72–0.92]). Higher odds of meal skipping were observed for those living alone (vs. living with someone, 1.84 [1.64–2.05]), current smokers (vs. non-smokers, 2.07 [1.54–2.80]), consumers of high amounts of alcohol (vs. abstainers 1.93 [1.35–2.75]), those with poor oral health (vs. excellent oral health, 1.71 [1.07–2.73]) diabetes (vs. not 1.26 [1.06–1.50]), or frailty (vs. not, 1.63 [1.09–2.43]). This study identified socio-demographic, social, behavioural and biomedical correlates of meal skipping in later life, which may assist in targeting interventions to address meal skipping.

Development of the ward nurses' discharge‐oriented dietary support scale for older adult patients in Japan

“…Physical factors include deterioration of energy expenditure and exercise, changes in hormones, poor oral hygiene, and fitting dentures (de Souto Barreto et al, 2022; Saleedaeng et al, 2023; Toniazzo et al, 2018). Psychological factors include depression and deterioration of cognitive function (Cox et al, 2022; Suma et al, 2018; Zukeran et al, 2022), and social factors include the loss of opportunities to go out and loss of spouse, social isolation due to retirement, eating alone, and difficulty in shopping (Bjornwall et al, 2021; Walker‐Clarke et al, 2022; Wild et al, 2023). Thus, older adults often reduce their dietary intake volume, leading to malnutrition.…”