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Research Article: Risk of Social Isolation as a Contributing Factor to Diet Quality in Community-Dwelling Older Persons Living in the Australian Capital Territory—A Pilot Study

Date Published: 2024-02-24

Abstract:
Objectives: Social isolation is recognised as a risk factor in the inflammatory process. This study explored the association between social isolation and the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) in community-dwelling older persons. Methods: This cross-sectional pilot study recruited 107 community-dwelling people aged over 55 years living in the Australian Capital Territory. Participants completed an extensive food frequency questionnaire and provided anthropometric and sociodemographic data. Social isolation was evaluated using the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS). Diet quality was assessed using DII. Results: Average age was 70.1 (±8.61) years and 62.8% were female. The average DII score was ?1.10 (±1.21), indicating an anti-inflammatory diet. Higher LSNS was associated with lower DII (b (95% CI) = ?0.041 (?0.066, ?0.17); p < 0.01) and was positively influenced by the number of people in household (b (95% CI) = 5.731 (2.336, 9.127); p = 0.001). Conclusion: Increased risk of social isolation was associated with an increased tendency towards a more inflammatory diet. Reducing social isolation may decrease the inflammatory component of dietary intake for older persons living independently in the community.

Introduction:
The role of nutrition as both a determinant of healthy ageing and a modifiable factor in maintaining a healthy phenotype is well established [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Equally well established is the role of non-dietary factors such as age-related physiological changes in the gut including early satiety [7,8], the diminution of senses of smell and taste [1,7,8], poor oral health [8,9], and several psychosocial factors, including social contact [7,8]. Additionally, the determinants of healthy eating for older persons are more…

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