LIVING ALONE DOES NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT NUTRIENT INTAKE AND NUTRITIONAL-STATUS OF 70-YEAR-OLD TO 75-YEAR-OLD MEN AND WOMEN IN SMALL TOWNS ACROSS EUROPE

This study determined the relationships between living alone and a var iety of sociodemographic variables and dietary intake and nutritional status of 70- to 75-year-old men and women across Europe. Data from ni ne centers, collected as part of the SENECA study, were selected for a nalysis. Respondents were categorized as either living alone, living w ith a spouse/partner only, or living with a spouse/partner and/or othe r person(s). Analyses included chi-square statistics, t-tests, and ana lysis of variance, measures of relationships and differences between r esidential-status groups. The sample included 512 subjects who Lived a lone, 1017 who lived with a spouse/partner only, and 380 who lived wit h a spouse/partner and/or other person(s). Variables which differed si gnificantly by living arrangement included higher vitamin A, calcium, riboflavin and water intake by both males and females Living alone as compared to either those living with a spouse, those living with other s, or both groups. Females who lived alone had lower energy intakes th an those who lived with other than a spouse/partner, and women who liv ed alone or as couples versus those who lived with others had lower pr otein and carbohydrate intakes. Males who lived alone had significantl y lower intakes of vitamin C than those who lived with person(s) other than a spouse, but still they were considerably above recommended lev els. Respondents who lived with a spouse/partner only were less likely to have an unfavorable BMI status than people in the other two groups . Thus, nutrient intakes of 70- to 75-year-olds across Europe are gene rally not adversely impacted by living alone, and relative to some nut rients, namely vitamin A, calcium, and riboflavin, their diets are bet ter than those living in one or both of the other residential categori es.