How eating alone shapes meal routines in elderly Swedes

By Hugo Francisco de SouzaReviewed by Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc.Aug 20 2024

In a recent study published in BMC Public Health, researchers examine the subjective experience and eating habits of elderly Swedish individuals who primarily eat their meals alone.

Study: The impact of eating alone on food intake and everyday eating routines: A cross-sectional study of community-living 70- to 75-year-olds in Sweden. Image Credit: Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock.com

The health benefits of commensality

Eating is essential for survival, health, and human social organization. Previous research has identified several benefits of eating in company, which has prompted public health policymakers of many countries to advise their citizens to share meals when possible. This advice stems from studies investigating a concept called ‘commensality,’ which has been observed to improve both physiological and psychosocial outcomes, particularly in individuals 60 years or older.

Unfortunately, most of this research objectively operationalizes the abstract concept of commensality, thereby introducing many theoretical and empirical issues. A key limitation is the failure to consider individual differences in the subjective perception or feeling of eating alone. Although some individuals may feel lonely or lose interest in cooking and eating, others remain unaffected.

Most published literature fails to explore the subjective aspects of commensality and instead focuses solely on its measurable outcomes like physical and mental health. The Swedish population presents an ideal study cohort to address these knowledge gaps, as about 30% of older Swedish adults live alone. Furthermore, Swedish residents report the lowest incidence of subjective loneliness among European nations.

About the study

The researchers utilized a self-reported survey-based cross-sectional study design to investigate associations between eating alone and food-related outcomes. The study focused on community-living Swedish citizens between 70 and 75 years of age who were randomly selected from the Swedish state personal address register.

The current study was conducted between November 2021 and January 2022, during which 1,500 individuals were invited to participate. Respondents living in a long-term care facility or with clinically diagnosed dementia were excluded from study.

Data of interest included objective and subjective eating-alone measures, food-related outcomes, demographics including birth year, sex, living situation, and marital status, as well as medical histories including general health, chronic disease, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI).

Statistical analysis included linear regression models to compare participants eating alone and those who practiced commensality. Models were adjusted for demographic variables and independently for subjective responses to eating alone.

Study findings

Of the 1,500 participants invited to participate, 695 responded, met inclusion criteria, and were included in the final analysis. Evaluations of included participants revealed an almost even distribution of sex and age.

About 75% of the study cohort were cohabiting, whereas 25% reported living alone. This coincided with eating alone or together, as most people who were cohabiting were eating together, whereas most people who lived alone also ate alone. Individuals who reported eating alone did not report any negative subjective feelings regarding their eating habits; however, a small proportion reported feeling bothered by eating alone.

About 72% of respondents frequently participated in commensality at least once a day. Of the 28% of study participants who ate alone, most were women.

Evaluations of food index results found almost no differences between the two cohorts. The only statistically significant differences were observed among eating-alone respondents who reported lower vegetable, snacks, sweet drinks, and sugary foods than commensality cohort participants.  

In contrast, the frequency of daily food intake was strongly cohort-dependent. About 59% of the commensality cohort reported eating at least three main meals daily, whereas 56% in the eating-alone cohort reported eating two or fewer meals daily. The eating-alone cohort reported a higher proportion of ready-to-eat ‘convenience’ food than the commensality cohort.

Conclusions

The present study contrasts previous research in failing to identify health or subjective benefits to commensality as compared to eating alone. The lack of an association observed in this study may be due to the high fitness, independence, and low loneliness potential of elderly Swedish citizens as compared to those reisidng in other European nations.

The study highlights the association between eating alone and both lower daily main meals and higher convenience food consumption. These findings indicate that eating alone had a more significant impact on the organization of daily meal routines, rather than the quality or dietary healthiness of the food consumed.