Influence of Living Arrangements and Eating Behavior on the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A National Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea

Studies on the relationships between health, different living arrangements, and eating behaviors across age groups are limited. Therefore, we investigated these associations, focusing on metabolic syndrome, among 16,015 South Koreans aged ≥19 years who completed the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2016). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that younger adults (<65 years) who lived and ate alone consumed more carbohydrates than those who lived and ate with others (p < 0.01). The odds of metabolic syndrome in younger adults increased with eating alone (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10–4.02) and living and eating alone (2.39, 1.25–4.58). Older adults (≥65 years) did not differ in dietary intake or prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to their living and eating situations. Younger adults living and eating alone may benefit from customized nutrition and health management programs to reduce their risk of metabolic syndrome.