名古屋学芸大学健康･栄養研究所年報

第３号

２００９年

《Original Article》

Lifestyle habits and dietary habit differences according to living
circumstances (living independently or living with others)
among middle aged and elderly people
Shizuno Ishida＊, Hisashi Susaki＊, Kiwako Okada＊ and Katsumi Yamanaka＊

were National Insurance holders from N city in

Preface.

Aichi Prefecture. 1029 males and 1489 females aged

In recent years, in our country Japan, the number

40-69. We defined the people who currently live onof one person households has increased with thetheir own as living independently and people who

progression of the low birth rate and nuclear family.

live with relatives or others as living with others andAccording to the National Institute of Population

divided them into two groups and we comparatively

and Social Security Research the percentage of

examined them. The method of investigation was a

one person households amongst all households wasform given to the respondents (mail survey method)

19.8% in 1980 which increased to 29.5% in 2005

the items for the survey were gender, age, height,

1)weight, alcohol consumption, the state of food in-

and is estimated to reach 37.4% in 2030 .
So far, there have been numerous studies2-8) con-take etc. We used the questionnaire ‘Lifestyle Habit

cerned with the differences in dietary habits depend-

Check’ developed by Assist Corporation. The ques-ing on whether the elderly live independently or withtionnaire items were life activities like exercise etc

others. And all studies have shown that those living(11 items) sleep·stress (9 items), smoking (11 items),

independently have a poor diet compared to thosealcohol consumption (4 items), weight·dietary habit

living with others. However, there are many cases(14 items), nutritional intake (36 items) oral healthwhere those elderly living independently, have lived(11 items) illnesses (5 items), fitness (7 items). As

on their own since middle age, and from that time,a method of analysis, we selected 8 items relating

dietary habits and lifestyle habits have continued

to lifestyle habits from the questionnaire items, andas they age, so it is crucial to look at both diet andeach item with a good response received one point

lifestyle in middle aged people.

and bad habit responses received zero points. In ourHence, in this study our purpose is to grasp thestudy, 8 points was deemed as full marks and thenaccurate conditions of middle aged people’s lifestyle

we calculated the total score assigned for lifestyle

habits and dietary habits, and in our investigation

habit- 8 points being the best habit and zero being

and analysis we reveal how it is influenced by thethe worst habit. Meanwhile, we showed in Table 1

differences in how people live i.e. living indepen-

the eight items questions as well as the allocation

dently or with others.

of marks. We used the statistical analysis software
SPSS Ver.15.0 for Windows for all statistical analysis. Concerning age ranges with total score assigned

Method.

for lifestyle habit we did a one way analysis variant
and for examination we used Tukey’s test. In order

From November to December 2002 the subjects＊ School of Nutritional Sciences, Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences1

Table 1 Allocation of Life-style Habit itemized scores
Items

Question

Good habit response (1point)

Bad habit response (0 point)

ExerciseDo you do exercise causing youto sweat more than twice a week?

Yes

No

Sleep

Do you sleep well?

Yes

No

StressDo you feel stress?

No

Yes

Interests

Do you have any hobbies?

Yes

No

Smoking

Do you smoke?

No

Yes

No

Yes

Do you eat three meals a day?

Yes

No

Do you brush your teeth more than
twice a day?

Yes

No

Alcohol comsumption Do you drink alcohol?
Meals
Dental care

Table 2 The number of people either living independently or living with others according to age group(Unit : people)



M
a
l
e

F
e
m
a
l
e

Age group

Living independently

Living with others

Total

40-49yrs

15 (6.1%)

232 (93.9%)

247 (100.0%)50-59yrs

10 (2.5%)391 (97.5%)

401 (100.0%)60-69yrs

16 (4.2%)

365 (95.8%)

381 (100.0%)

Total

41 (4.0%)988 (96.0%)

1029 (100.0%)40-49yrs

13 (3.6%)345 (96.4%)

358 (100.0%)50-59yrs

23 (3.5%)626 (96.5%)

649 (100.0%)60-69yrs

35 (7.3%)

447 (92.7%)

482 (100.0%)

Total

71 (4.8%)1418 (95.2%)

1489 (100.0%)

to examine the average value of the total score as-(Average age 54.7±7.0 years old), living indepen-

signed for lifestyle habit, when living independently/

dently was 71 (Average age 57.2±7.4 years old). The

living together, we utilized the Mann-Whitney rank

percentage of people living independently was 4.0%

sum test and for cross table significant difference

for males, and for females 4.8%.

examination we used c evaluation and the signifi-

In addition, the percentage of people living inde-cant level was p<0.05. It should be noted that forpendently according to the age ranges was shown

total score calculation and cross table analysis wein table 2, males in the 40-49 years age range was

excluded non-respondents from the analysis.

6.1%, 50-59 years was 2.5%, 60-69 years was 4.2%,

2

females in the 40-49 age range was 3.6%, 50-59
years was 3.5%, 60-69 years was 7.3%.

Results.

2. The total score assigned for lifestyle habits.

1. Living independently and living with others.
The number of males living with others was 988

We calculated the total score of the lifestyle habits(Average age 55.3±7.4 years old), living indepen-

8 items according to gender and age range shown in

dently was 41 (Average age 53.9±8.8 years old).

table 3. For males in the 40-49 years age range the

The number of females living with others was 1418

score was 4.0±1.3 points, for the 50-59 years age

2Lifestyle habits and dietary habit differences according to living circumstances (living independently or living with others) among middle aged and elderly people

Table 3 Average total score assigned for lifestyle habits according to gender and age group(Unit : points)
Age group

Male
Average total score

FemaleStandard deviation

40-49yrs

4.0

1.3

50-59yrs

4.1

1.4

60-69yrs

4.7

1.4

Total

4.3

1.4

Average total score

***

***

Standard deviation

4.8

1.3

5.3

1.3

5.6

1.2

5.3

1.3

***
***

***

*** : p<0.001

Figure 1 Average total score assigned for lifestlye habits- according to gender for those living
independently and living with others

range it was 4.1±1.4points, for 60-69 years it was

independently the results show as 5.1±1.3points, the4.7±1.4 points. For females in the 40-49 years age

female group living with others it was 5.3±1.3 points

range the score was 4.8±1.3 points , for 50-59 years(all given as average ± standard deviation). Thereit was 5.3±1.3 points, for 60-69 years it was 5.6±1.2

was a tendency for females living independently

points (all given as average ± standard deviation).

to be lower than those females living with others

There was a tendency for the total score assigned(p=0.231).

for lifestyle habits for both male and females, to be
3. Life style habit items.

higher as they became older.
Secondly, the total score assigned for lifestyle

Next, we conducted a cross table analysis tohabits according to gender, and either living inde-

investigate the relationship between those living

pendently or with others is shown in the figure 1; forindependently and those living with others for eachthe male group living independently the result was

lifestyle habit item. Results are shown in table 4.

4.3±1.5 points, for the male group living with others

For males, there was a tendency for the percentage

it was 4.3±1.4points. For the female group living

to be lower in the independent living group for those3

Table 4 The number of people living independently and living with others according to itemized lifestyle habits
Live independently

Male
Do you do exercise causing you to sweat more than twice a week?
FemaleMale
Do you sleep well?
FemaleMale
Do you feel stress?
FemaleMale
Do you have any hobbies?
FemaleMale
Do you smoke?
FemaleMale
Do you drink alcohol?
FemaleMale
Do you eat three meals a day?
FemaleMale
Do you brush your teeth morethan twice a day?
FemaleLive with others

No.of people(%)

No.of people

(%)

Yes

12

29.3

211

21.6

No

29

70.7

765

78.4

Yes

12

17.1

323

23.1

No

58

82.9

1077

76.9

Yes

30

73.2

819

83.7

No

11

26.8

159

16.3

Yes

54

77.1

1107

78.9

No

16

22.9

296

21.1

Yes

29

70.7

698

71.2

No

12

29.3

282

28.8

Yes

55

78.6

1094

77.6

No

15

21.4

315

22.4

Yes

28

68.3

725

74.8

No

13

31.7

244

25.2

Yes

51

72.9

1056

76.2

No

19

27.1

329

23.8

Yes

17

42.5

391

40.1

No

23

57.5

585

59.9

Yes

7

10.0

80

5.8

No

63

90.0

1295

94.2

Yes

27

67.5

756

77.9

No

13

32.5

215

22.1

Yes

22

31.4

522

37.7

No

48

68.6

861

62.3

Yes

29

72.5

784

79.7

No

11

27.5

200

20.3

Yes

58

82.9

1251

88.5

No

12

17.1

163

11.5

Yes

26

65.0

544

55.3

No

14

35.0

439

44.7

Yes

52

74.3

1160

82.4

No

18

25.7

248

17.6

c2

Significant probability

1.345

0.250

1.332

0.307

3.164

0.086

0.124

0.764

0.005

1.000

0.033

1.000

0.883

0.361

0.420

0.565

0.095

0.745

2.059

0.189

2.360

0.126

1.135

0.313

1.209

0.317

2.022

0.180

1.453

0.258

2.965

0.063

4. Dietary habits.

people sleeping well and also drinking alcohol. For
females, there was a tendency for the percentage to

For dietary habits in the questionnaire we divided

be lower in the independent living group for thosesubjects into two groups –the ‘do’ group and the ‘doeating 3 meals a day and also brushing their teethnot’ group for the five items shown in table 5, thenmore than twice a day. There was a tendency for the

we conducted a cross table analysis according topercentage to be higher in the independent living

those living independently and living with others.

group for those females smoking.

Results are shown in table 5. For the item ‘do you eat
meals with family or friends’ the percentage of those
who responded yes to this question was significantly

4Lifestyle habits and dietary habit differences according to living circumstances (living independently or living with others) among middle aged and elderly people

Table 5 The number of people living independently and living with others according to itemized dietary habits
Live independently

Male
Do you have meals with family orfriends?
FemaleMale
Do you use convenience storesor eat out?
FemaleMale
Do you eat three meals a day?
FemaleMale
Do you eat snacks between meals
or before bed time?
FemaleLive with others

No.of people(%)

No.of people

(%)

Yes

9

24.3

634

65.8

No

28

75.7

330

34.2

Yes

26

37.1

1068

77.1

No

44

62.9

318

22.9

Yes

15

40.5

192

19.9

No

22

59.5

772

80.1

Yes

5

7.0

59

4.3

No

66

93.0

1329

95.7

Yes

29

72.5

784

79.7

No

11

27.5

200

20.3

Yes

58

82.9

1251

88.5

No

12

17.1

163

11.5

Yes

7

17.5

186

18.9

No

33

82.5

796

81.1

Yes

21

30.0

562

39.9

No

49

70.0

847

60.1

c2

Significant probability

26.6400.000

56.824

0.000

9.239

0.006

1.255

0.235

1.209

0.317

2.022

0.180

0.052

1.000

2.729

0.105

***

***

**

** : p<0.01*** : p<0.001

lower in the living independently group. In addition,

to be higher in the living independently group. In

for the items ‘do you eat three meals a day’ and ‘doaddition, for females- for those consuming meat,

you eat snacks between meals or before bedtime’

fish or miso soup, the percentage was significantly

there was a tendency for females responding yes tolower in the living independently group.

these items to be a lower percentage in the living
independently group. Conversely, for the item ‘do

Discussion.

you use convenience stores or eat out’ –for males
responding yes to this item the percentage was sig-

According to the ‘National Livelihood Survey

nificantly higher in the living independently group.

2006’9) conducted by The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, on June 1st 2006 the total number of

5. Food intake circumstances.

households aged over 40 years was 36,292,000. And

For food intake circumstances, in the questionnaire

within this figure, the number of one person house-

we divided subjects into two groups –the ‘eat’ groupholds was 7,837,000 (percentage of total 21.6%) andand the ‘not eat’ group for the nine items shown

this percentage is increasing annually.

in table 6 then we conducted a cross table analysis

Regarding the differences in lifestyle habits ac-

according to those living independently and living

cording to the two groups- living independently andwith others. Results are shown in table 6. There wasliving with others, we can see the survey concerninga tendency for the percentage of males eating meat

alcohol consumption circumstances, however, weor fish everyday to be significantly lower, and we canhardly see surveys concerning other lifestyle hab-

see the same tendency for those eating vegetables

its. According to circumstances regarding alcoholand miso soup. However, there was a tendency for

consumption, there is a paper 2) showing that males

the percentage of those consuming dairy products

over 60 years old, and living with others need im-

5

Table 6 The number of people living independently and living with others according to itemized lifestyle habits
Live independently

Male
Do you eat meat or fish everyday?
FemaleMale
Do you eat fish more than threetimes a week?
FemaleMale
Do you eat more than 4 eggs a week?
FemaleMale
Do you eat Soy products every day?
FemaleMale
Do you eat dairy products every day?
FemaleMale
Do you eat vegetables at each meal?
FemaleMale
Do you eat fruits everyday?
FemaleMale
Do you eat miso soup everyday?
FemaleMale
Do you often eat pickled vegetables?
FemaleLive with others

No.of people(%)

No.of people

(%)

Yes

21

52.5

672

69.1

No

19

47.5

300

30.9

Yes

38

54.3

1148

81.6

No

32

45.7

259

18.4

Yes

28

70.0

670

69.3

No

12

30.0

297

30.7

Yes

37

52.9

1016

72.3

No

33

47.1

389

27.7

Yes

23

57.5

524

54.0

No

17

42.5

446

46.0

Yes

32

45.7

626

44.4

No

38

54.3

783

55.6

Yes

19

47.5

497

50.7

No

21

52.5

483

49.3

Yes

45

64.3

930

66.2

No

25

35.7

474

33.8

Yes

29

72.5

553

57.0

No

11

27.5

417

43.0

Yes

49

70.0

1034

73.4

No

21

30.0

374

26.6

Yes

13

33.3

514

53.0

No

26

66.7

455

47.0

Yes

45

64.3

902

64.1

No

25

35.7

505

35.9

Yes

22

55.0

580

59.2

No

18

45.0

400

40.8

Yes

52

75.4

1059

75.2

No

17

24.6

350

24.8

Yes

21

56.8

666

69.0

No

16

43.2

299

31.0

Yes

37

52.1

930

66.9

No

34

47.9

461

33.1

Yes

24

64.9

703

73.1

No

13

35.1

259

26.9

Yes

46

64.8

959

68.9

No

25

35.2

433

31.1

c2

Significant probability

4.926

0.036

31.428

0.000

0.009

1.000

12.358

0.001

0.187

0.747

0.045

0.902

0.159

0.748

0.114

0.796

3.775

0.071

0.402

0.580

5.839

0.021

0.001

1.000

0.278

0.625

0.001

1.000

2.484

0.147

6.559

0.014

1.213

0.264

0.529

0.512

*

***

***

*

*

* : p<0.05    **** : p<0.001

provement- i.e. they consume far more alcohol thanon how much influence living independently or liv-

those living independently. For females there is no

ing with others has on lifestyle or dietary habits. Re-

difference for this lifestyle habit.

sults show differences between males and females.
For males, there is hardly any difference for theThrough this investigation, we carried out a study

6Lifestyle habits and dietary habit differences according to living circumstances (living independently or living with others) among middle aged and elderly people

overall lifestyle habits total points between the liv-

fruit and vegetable and the quantity of intake amounting independently group and the living with others

varies widely. Okumura et al.7) reported that people

group. Looking at each item, the items which had aliving independently are deficient in protein intake.

higher percentage in the living independently group

Yamanaka et al.2) say for both males and females thewere lifestyle habits like ‘do exercise’ ‘not drinking

percentage of protein ‘deficiency’ is higher for thosealcohol’ ‘brushing teeth more than twice a day’. For

living independently and regarding green and yel-the other five items the percentage is higher in the

low vegetables, males living independently have aliving with others group. For females the total scorehigher ‘deficiency’ percentage, however for calcium,assigned for lifestyle habits was higher in the living

pale vegetables, carbohydrates, fat, salt content bothwith others group than the independent living group.

those living independently and those living with oth-

When we look at each item, the only item where theers show a similar pattern.

higher percentage comes from the independent liv-

Through this research, regarding dietary habits

ing group is ‘not drinking alcohol’, the other sevenfor both males and females, the living independently

items for the living with others group has a higher

group use convenience stores more as well as eat out

percentage. That is to say, for males, even thoughmore and the percentage of people who eat threethey live independently, many people prefer not tomeals a day or eat meals with family or friends

disturb their regular lifestyle habits like do exercise

has decreased. Kumagai et al.10) shows that elderly

and brush their teeth etc. However, for females, we

peoples appetite is more than three times higher if

can say, with the exception of ‘drinking alcohol’

they eat with their families than if they eat alone,they usually maintain good daily lifestyle habits

and regarding those living independently, if there

when they live with their families, and then whenis more opportunity to have a chance to eat withthey start living independently there is a tendency

family, this results in an increase in appetite, whichto disturb such lifestyle habits.

in turn, we can assume prevents low nutritive intake.

There are various papers regarding the differences

Also regarding the percentage of people who eat

in dietary habits for the elderly living independently

snacks between meals and before bedtime, there is3)

or with others. Yano et al. reported there is no dif-

not much difference in the male group for the living

ference between those living independently andindependently and living with others group, but for

those living with others concerning sufficiency rate

females, and those living independently the percent-in dietary allowance as well as food composition

age decreases. These results suggest that people who

basis sufficiency rate, however, people living inde-

live independently simply finish their daily meals

pendently, use more pre-cooked food or tend to misson their own and this is in agreement with Yano etmeals more and the content of meals is extremelyal.3) research.

poor. Also according to Kumae et al.4) for males, theRegarding food intake, the males in the living

number of foods eaten, both energy amount and pro-independently group consume more dairy products

tein intake is lower in the living independently groupand the percentage of those eating meat or fish, veg-

compared with living with others group, but for fe-

etables, fruit, miso soup, pickled vegetables daily ismales there is no difference between the two groups.

higher in the living with others group. For the other5)

Ikeda et al. reported that those living independently

3 food groups there is hardly any difference between

scored low on the Balance Score (A non-bias assess-the living independently and living with others

ment of the nutritive food groups) and scored highgroup. For females, the percentage of people whoon the salt content score (concern for high consump-

eat meat, fish, dairy products, miso soup, pickled

6)tion of salt). Teshima et al. reported, that people

vegetables daily is higher in the living with others

who live independently have a lower intake of rice,group and for the other four items there is hardly

7any difference between the living independently andReferences

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Health Statistics. 2008

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11)

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3)

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112-123
4)

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6)

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8)

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and for their families’, it could be said, that with this9)thought, even when these females start living inde-

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in eating with someone else as much as possible,11) Kumagai S., Shibata H., Watanabe S., Amano H., Su-or utilizing meal delivery service, it is hoped thatzuki T., Nagai H., Haga H., Yasumura S. : Relationshipeven when people start living independently, theyof dietary patterns to change in functional capacity (in-can maintain a good lifestyle and dietary habits.

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8

Lifestyle habits and dietary habit differences according to living circumstances (living independently or living with others) among middle aged and elderly people13) Okuno K., Mitsuhashi K., Yasutake Y. : Home Delivered Meals: Effect on Dietary Habits and Health of theElderly Living Alone. Jpn. J. Nutr. 1989; 47: 179-188

9

和文抄録

中年および高齢者の同居、独居別にみた生活習慣
および食生活の差について
石田

＊

静乃

須崎

尚

＊

＊

岡田希和子

山中

＊

克己

要旨
目的：中年および高齢者の生活習慣や食生活の実態を把握し、それらが独居、同居の違いによってどのような影響を受けるのかを明らかにする。
方法：2002年11月から12月に、愛知県 N 市に在住する40歳から69歳の男性1029名、女性1489名を対象として、自記式質問紙（生活習慣、食生活および食品摂取状況）による調査を実施した。
結果：生活習慣合計点（良好であるほど点数が高い）は男性では独居・同居で差はみられなかったが、女性では独居者のほうが低い傾向が見られた。生活習慣各項目では、男性では、よく眠れる
人、飲酒をする人の割合は独居群のほうが低い傾向が見られた。女性では 1 日 3 食食べる人、 1 日
2 回以上歯を磨く人の割合は独居群のほうが低い傾向が見られ、喫煙する人の割合は独居群のほうが高い傾向が見られた。食生活については、「家族、友人と食事するか」については男女とも食事をする人の割合は独居群のほうが有意に低かった。また、「 1 日 3 食食べるか」、「間食や夜食を食べるか」については女性では食べる人の割合は独居群のほうが低い傾向が見られた。一方、「コンビニや外食を利用するか」については男性では利用する人の割合は独居群のほうが有意に高かった。
食品摂取状況については、男性では肉か魚を毎日食べる人の割合は独居群のほうが有意に低く、野菜、みそ汁を摂取している人の割合も同様の傾向が見られたが、乳製品を摂取している人の割合は独居群のほうが高い傾向が見られた。また女性では、肉、魚、みそ汁を摂取している人の割合が独居群のほうが有意に低かった。
結論：生活習慣については女性で、食生活および食品摂取状況については男女とも独居、同居の違いによる影響がみられた。

＊名古屋学芸大学

管理栄養学部

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