Physical and social determinants of dietary variety among older adults living alone in Japan

Aim Food security and sufficient nutrient intake are critical to longevity and active aging. The present study aimed to elucidate physical and social factors related to dietary variety among single-living older adults in Japanese communities. Methods The cross-sectional survey with a self-administrated questionnaire was carried out for all older adults living alone aged 65 years and older in three cities of Japan during 2014. Dietary variety score (DVS) was determined by counting the number of 10 food groups consumed at least once in 2 days using a food frequency questionnaire. Using the data of 704 men and 1366 women, the sex-specific association of low DVS (