Why Do Elderly Individuals in Japan Eat Alone?

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to show the dietary situation (eating alone or not) of elderly individuals (aged over 70 years) in Japan, using the Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities and to clarify the reasons. We found that 32% of these individuals eat lunch alone, and 22% eat dinner alone. Furthermore, some aged people living alone eat in someone’s company, because (1) their children live near them, (2) they receive long-term care for more than 4 days a week, or (3) they work longer or engage in more social activities than the ones eating alone.