Dietary status and the relationship between dietary competencies, cooking skills, and nutrition quotient of middle-aged adults living alone in Korea

• DOI: 10.4162/nrp.2025.19.2.257
• Publication Date: 2025-04-04T06:26:08Z
• Authors: Sooyoun Kwon; Youngmi Lee; Yun-Jung Bae
• Keywords: Food habits

Living alone has a bearing on unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as skipping meals, unbalanced diets, smoking, and drinking, raising concerns about health problems. This study aimed to examine the dietary habits, competencies, cooking skills of adults living their relationship with nutritional quotient (NQ). We conducted an online survey spanning April 20-26, 2023 that was administered 500 aged 35-64 yrs who were in Korea. The questionnaire included questions regarding general information, eating environment, skills, NQ. results stratified according sex age. Middle-aged responded main reason they skipped meals when "because meal preparation is hassle." consumed fewer vegetables, fruits, milk than recommended levels. competencies participants 3.14 out 5.0, 3.77 5.0. Female had significantly higher scores for most items male (P < 0.05). In addition, after adjusting confounding factors, odds high NQ score group 3.75 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.15-6.55; P trend 0.001), 3.99 CI, 2.27-7.02). These findings provide fundamental data developing tailored nutrition education programs alone, considering age differences.