Food, Eating, and Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Objectives Research that explores older adults’ perspectives on how food and eating impact their quality of life (QOL) is limited. The objectives of this study were to 1) understand the factors that impact QOL, both positively and negatively, and 2) understand the effect of food and eating on QOL, from the perspective of older adults living in the community. Methods Twenty five community-dwelling older adults completed in-person, semi-structured interviews. A grounded theory approach was used to assign codes to the participant's responses and organize them into categories representing similar concepts. Relationships between the categories were used to form a framework based on the data. Results Five main themes emerged from the data, representing categories of factors that influence QOL (health and vitality; independence; mental and emotional well-being; socialization and support; activities, both inside and outside the home). Four themes were identified in respondents’ answers explaining how food and eating affect QOL (food access and choice; food preparation; health and vitality; food enjoyment). Due to the interaction between the themes and the other factors in the framework, the results show that food and eating have a broad effect on QOL. Conclusions Many factors that affect QOL are modifiable, and the results of this study can be used as a basis for the development and tailoring of community interventions to improve older adults’ QOL. Additionally, to measure the effects of such interventions, measurement tools that include both physiological and non-physiological effects of food and eating on QOL are necessary. Funding Sources Healthy Food Systems Emerging Innovators Grant Program, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park