Food is often the center of family gatherings -- at the heart of our traditions and social occasions. Life-changing events that are increasingly common as one ages -- children leaving home or the loss of a spouse -- may alter living situations and disrupt usual eating habits. A recent issue of the Journal of Nutrition reports how the living arrangements of older people can affect the quality of their diets.

Researchers examined data from 6500 men and women ages 50 and over, who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) between 1988 - 1994. Volunteers completed an at-home interview, a 24 hour dietary recall, and a physical examination. Diet quality was assessed by comparing nutrient intakes to recommendations for 15 essential nutrients. If a volunteer consumed at least two-thirds of the suggested level of a nutrient, intake was considered adequate. The researchers then explored the relationship between dietary adequacy and living arrangements to see if dietary standards were more or less likely to be achieved if the volunteer lived alone or with at least one other person.
The study revealed that overall the diets of older individuals leave room for improvement. Only 12% of women and 20% of men met the requirements for all 15 nutrients. The nutrients most commonly lacking were calcium, zinc, folate, magnesium and vitamin E. As researchers suspected, diet quality was affected by the company one keeps (or doesn't keep). Those who lived alone were the ones most likely to consume low levels of essential nutrients. Interestingly, men fared slightly better than women, explained in part because they consume more food than women do.

Nutritionists who work with older clients say that several factors contribute to age-related changes in eating behavior. People who live alone may have less desire to cook or feel lonely eating by oneself. They may limit food purchases due to lack of transportation to a grocery store or because they don't want to waste anything. Some tend to eat the same few foods or skip meals, and therefore miss essential nutrients. The authors of this survey point out that these problems are not limited to older adults who reside alone. Some elderly couples face the same nutrition-related issues.

There are ways that solo diners can eat well with minimum effort. Grocery stores sell prepared foods, fresh or frozen, for those who do not want to cook. It may seem costly to prepare a meal at the salad bar, but when compared to wasted produce if purchased separately, it can be a bargain. The same goes for single serving sizes of juice, or snacks such as pudding, applesauce, or cheese and crackers. Meals served at community centers or home delivered meals can also help older individuals fill the nutrition