The influence of co-residential and non-co-residential living arrangements on sufficient fruit and vegetable consumption in the aging population in Thailand

Abstract

Background Living arrangements have an impact on a family’s health-related behaviors, especially its eating behaviors. However, studies that have examined the association between living arrangements and food intake, especially fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption of older adults, are rare. This study aimed to investigate the association between living arrangements and FV consumption in a population of older adults in Thailand from a national sample of households. Methods This study extracted data on 2048 persons age 60 years or older from a study of a nationally-representative sample of Thai households. The survey asked respondents about FV intake, living arrangements, household size, and socio-demographic characteristics. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between the variables and FV intake. Results The mean age of the respondents was 68.2 ± 6.5 years. Of the total sample, only 31.9% had sufficient FV intake. The group with the lowest possibility of sufficient FV intake was persons who lived alone. Those who lived with at least one child or lived in a skipped-generation household were 2.7 and 2.2 times as likely to have sufficient FV intake as those who lived alone (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). Older adults living only with their spouse were 2.1 times as likely to have sufficient FV intake as those who lived alone. FV intake also differed significantly by socio-demographic characteristics (sex, place of residence, educational attainment, occupation and income), self-rated health, FV knowledge, and exposure to a FV promotion campaign in the community. Conclusions The findings from this study suggest that a different approach is required to improve FV consumption in the older population by taking into account their living arrangements, community context, level of FV knowledge, and socio-demographic characteristics. The older adults who live alone, as well as those living in a large household, are at particular risk of inadequate FV intake, and require special attention.

Living arrangements, health lifestyles, and health outcomes among Chinese oldest-old

“…Chinese older adults who lived with family members were found to have greater odds of reporting good quality of sleep and a longer duration of sleep ( 20 ). Older adults who lived alone and who lived in a large household had a higher risk of inadequate fruit and vegetable intake ( 37 ). Older adults who lived alone were found to be more likely to have food insecurity problems and higher possibilities of smoking compared to those living with spouses/partners.…”

Rising living alone among the elderly in Iran: prevalence and associated factors

“…Solo living is a serious risk factor for ill-health in the elderly [ 8 , 12 – 16 ]. Most studies have shown that living alone leads to poor mental health [ 17 – 19 ], depression [ 11 , 20 , 21 ], lower happiness [ 22 ], insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables [ 23 ], higher mortality rate [ 24 ], and feeling to be alone [ 25 ]. According to the United Nations (2017), among the 143 countries or regions studied, the average percentage of people aged 60 and over who lived alone was 12%.…”