Eating alone... a danger threatening the health of the elderly.

Arab Sea Newspaper - Special

A recent study warned that eating alone may negatively affect the mental and physical health of adults, especially the elderly. The study, published in the journal "Appetite," indicated that eating dinner alone is often associated with unhealthy eating patterns, a deficiency in essential nutrients, and weight loss, compared to people who eat their meals with others. The study was based on a review of 24 studies conducted over the past two decades by a research team at Flinders University in Australia, focusing on elderly people who eat their meals alone. The results showed that elderly people who eat alone are more susceptible to early osteoporosis, due to poor eating habits and a lack of essential nutrients such as protein and potassium. The researchers explained that daily protein consumption decreases from 58 grams to 51 grams as the number of meals a person eats alone increases. The research team urged the need to eat five daily servings of fruits and vegetables to maintain a balanced health, noting that this helps reduce osteoporosis and lower blood pressure, in addition to providing the necessary nutrients for the body.