Eating alone and cognitive decline in Korean older adults: a 3-year prospective study.

Background Eating alone is a critical factor for screening the nutritional risk of older adults. We investigated whether the change of eating status (eating alone/with others) in late-life affected the cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults. Methods We used data from the Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons. Nutritional risk including eating status was assessed using seven questions from the Nutrition Screening Initiative checklist, and cognitive function was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Based on changes of eating status at baseline (2008) and the 3-year follow-up (2011), the subjects were divided into four groups: group 1 (eating with others in both visits), group 2 (eating alone in 2008 and eating with others in 2011), group 3 (eating with others in 2008 and eating alone in 2011), and group 4 (eating alone in both visits). Generalized linear models were used to compare the change of MMSE scores over a 3-year period among four groups. Results Among older women, group 2 had the least decline of MMSE scores (-0.55 ± 0.46), whereas group 3 had the greatest decline of MMSE scores (-1.76 ± 0.37) (P = 0.034). There was no difference in the change of MMSE scores among four eating groups in older men. Conclusion Deprivation of mealtime partners in late-life enhanced cognitive decline in comparison to gaining mealtime partners. Eating alone can be a possible risk factor for cognitive impairment, and meal programs that reinforces social integration might help to preserve cognitive function.