Considering that the number of middle-aged single-person households is increasing, this study investigates dietary behaviors, nutrient intake, and mental health according to household type. Data were procured from the 2015-2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Totally, 5,466 participants aged 50-64 years were classified into 2 groups: a household with one member was defined as a single-person household, and households with two or more members were described as multi-person households. Single-person households comprised 10.63% of the total, with a higher average age, and lower income and economic levels than multi-person households. Compared to multiperson households, single-person households had a higher frequency of skipping breakfast, eating alone, and dining out, the moderately and severely food insecure group was more than 5 times, and nutrient intake and dietary quality were poorer. In the fully adjusted model, the odds ratios (ORs) of depressive symptoms were 2.35 times (95% CI: 1.39-3.96), and suicide ideation was 1.95 times (95% CI: 1.35-2.82) in single-person compared to multi-person households. Our results lead us to conclude that poor dietary intake in middle-aged single-person households affects the mental health, and the above factors should be considered when framing the dietary policy.

In this study, data from the 7th (2016~2018) and 8th (2019) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were used, which included 5,325 subjects. Health behavior, dietary and nutrient intake status, physical measurement and biochemical characteristics, and risk factors for elderly related chronic diseases were classified and analyzed according to the changing composition of single households and other households in the current society. As a result, the ratio of current smokers and drinkers in young adult single households, walking less than 30 minutes per day, subjective health status was poor, breakfast rate less than three times per week, eating out frequency more than once a day, lipid intake ratio to total calories, saturation fatty acid intake were significantly higher. In addition, waist circumference, and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher. However, dietary fiber intake level was significantly lower. The results for hypertension, which is the representative chronic disease that causes old age-related chronic diseases, were significantly higher in single households (ORs=1.400 (95% CI: 1.095, 1.791), p=0.007). Although young adults may not have showed particularly serious health problems yet, education is believed as important to recognize and prevent age-related disease risk factors.

본 연구는 장년층(50～64세) 1인가구의 인구사회학적 특성과 삶의 만족도 수준을 파악하는 데 목적을 두고 다인가구와 비교분석하였다. 이를 위하여 국민노후보장패널 4차 자료를 이용하였다. 분석결과, 인구사회학적 특성에 있어서 장년층 1인가구는 성별, 연령, 혼인상태, 자녀유무, 신체적 건강상태 심리적 건강상태, 우울감, 외로움, 교육수준, 가구 소득, 공적연금보유여부에서 다인가구와 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 나타났다. 또한 장년층 1인가구의 삶의 만족도를 생활전반 만족도와 10개 하위영역별 만족도(주거, 경제적 상태, 일, 건강, 여가활동, 가족관계, 자녀관계, 형제․자매관계, 친구관계, 이웃관계)로 살펴본 결과 모든 영역에서 1인가구는 다인가구보다 만족도 수준이 유의하게 낮은 것으로 확인되었다. 이러한 연구결과를 바탕으로 정책적 함의를 제시하였다.