Correlates of Meal Skipping in Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

In this cross-sectional analysis of 10,071 community dwelling adults aged ≥70 years, we examined factors associated with meal skipping (self-reported) using multivariable logistic regression. Prevalence of meal skipping in this study was 19.5%. The adjusted odds (aOR [95%CI]) of meal skipping were lower in those 85+ years (vs. 70–74.9 years, 0.56 [0.45–0.70]), and in those in regional areas (vs. urban area, 0.81 [0.72–0.92]). Higher odds of meal skipping were observed for those living alone (vs. living with someone, 1.84 [1.64–2.05]), current smokers (vs. non-smokers, 2.07 [1.54–2.80]), consumers of high amounts of alcohol (vs. abstainers 1.93 [1.35–2.75]), those with poor oral health (vs. excellent oral health, 1.71 [1.07–2.73]) diabetes (vs. not 1.26 [1.06–1.50]), or frailty (vs. not, 1.63 [1.09–2.43]). This study identified socio-demographic, social, behavioural and biomedical correlates of meal skipping in later life, which may assist in targeting interventions to address meal skipping.