Association between mental health and meal patterns among elderly Koreans. Issue 1 (4th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kwak, Yeunhee; Kim, Yoonjung
• Is Part Of: Geriatrics and gerontology international. Volume 18:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 161
• Page End: 168
• Publication Date: 2017-07-04
• Subjects: elderly -- family meals -- meal patterns -- mental health; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Japan -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Japan -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1111/ggi.13106
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1444-1586

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: The present cross‐sectional study analyzed the differences in mental health among community‐dwelling elderly Koreans based on type of meal skipping and family meal frequency. Methods: We carried out a secondary data analysis using data from 4742 older adults aged ≥65 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (2010–2012), a nationally representative sample. Results: In the final model, after adjusting for covariates, we found differences in stress, depression and suicidal ideation based on the type of meal skipping. Specifically, breakfast skippers showed a greater odds ratio for depression and suicidal ideation than breakfast eaters; dinner skippers showed a greater odds ratio for suicidal ideation than dinner eaters. We also found differences in stress, depression and suicidal ideation per family meal frequency. Conclusions: It is necessary to consider the type of meal skipping and family meal frequency while providing limited social resources to improve the mental health of older adults.Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 161–168 .