New Delhi, Nov 5: Researchers in Australia have found that loneliness can take a toll on an individual’s physical health as they live alone and tend to survive on unhealthy diets.
Men living alone are more likely to have a poor diet than women, they found out.
Inadequate cooking skills, no partner to go shopping with, increasing cost of food and lack of motivation to cook are among the major reasons for poor diet in people living alone, their findings showed.
one of the researchers from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane said that the research suggests living alone may represent a barrier to healthy eating that is related to the cultural and social roles of food and cooking.
“For example, a lack of motivation and enjoyment in cooking and/or eating alone often led to people preparing simple or ready-made meals lacking key nutrients,” they explained.
The researchers analysed 41 cases to investigate the link between living alone and food and nutrient intake.
People living alone were diverse in range of age, gender, education and socio-economic status.
Economic factors also explain lower consumption of food like fruits, vegetables and fish, as they require more frequent purchase and consumption, one of the researcher said.
