Composite Meal-Related Behaviors and Health Indicators: Insight from Large-Scale Nationwide Data on Korean Adults

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Multidimensional dietary patterns offer a comprehensive view of eating behaviors, yet their age-related variations and links to healthy aging factors are understudied.
• Understanding these patterns is crucial for developing targeted public health strategies for diverse adult populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the distribution of meal-related behavior patterns across different adult age groups.
• To identify predictors associated with unhealthy meal-related behavior patterns.
• To explore the relationship between these patterns and health factors relevant to aging.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 47,332 Korean adults (2014-2022) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
• Classification of participants into young (18-39), middle-aged (40-64), and older adults (≥65) and assessment of adherence to regular breakfast, shared mealtimes, and infrequent eating out.
• Statistical analysis including ANOVA, Pearson's chi-square, and multinomial logistic regression to identify group differences and predictors.

Main Results:

• Older adults showed the highest adherence to healthy meal behaviors but had the lowest prevalence of shared mealtimes.
• Young adults exhibited the highest prevalence of unhealthy patterns, driven by infrequent breakfast and frequent eating out.
• Poorer meal patterns across all ages were linked to living alone, sedentary behavior, and adverse metabolic profiles; middle-aged adults had the highest chronic disease prevalence.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences exist in composite meal-related behaviors across adult age groups, impacting health and aging trajectories.
• Young adults require interventions for low adherence, middle-aged adults for chronic disease management, and older adults for nutritional insufficiency and social vulnerability.
• Personalized interventions targeting age-specific meal behavior patterns are essential for promoting healthy aging and mitigating health disparities.