Social Network Factors Affect Nutrition Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Objectives: To determine which social network, demographic, and health-indicator variables are associated with SCREEN-8 (nutrition risk) scores at two time points, three years apart, using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Design: A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Setting And Participants: 17051 Canadians aged 45 years and older with data from baseline and first follow-up of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Measurements: Nutrition risk was measured using SCREEN-8. Social network factors included social network size, frequency of contact with social network members, social participation, social support, self-rated social standing, and household income. Demographic variables included age, sex assigned at birth, marital status, educational attainment, and living situation (alone or with others). Health-indicator variables included depression, disability, and self-rated general health, mental health, healthy aging, and oral health. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between the social network, demographic, and health-indicator variables and SCREEN-8 scores at two time points, three years apart.

Results: Among the social network variables, individuals with higher social participation, self-rated social standing, and social support had higher SCREEN-8 scores at baseline and follow-up. Among the demographic variables, individuals who were single or widowed, compared to married or partnered, had lower SCREEN-8 scores at both time points. For the health-indicator variables, individuals who screened negative for depression, and those with higher self-rated general health, healthy aging, and oral health had higher SCREEN-8 scores at both time points. At baseline, as age increased, SCREEN-8 scores also increased.

Conclusion: Individuals with low social participation, low social standing, and low social support may be at increased nutrition risk and should be proactively screened by healthcare professionals. Interventions and community programs designed to increase levels of social participation and foster social support may help to reduce the prevalence of nutrition risk.