J Korean Diet Assoc.  2025 Feb;31(1):38-51. 10.14373/JKDA.2025.31.1.38.

Assessment of Nutritional Status and Dietary Quality Using Nutrition Quotient of Young Adults in One-Person Households

• Choi M
• Choi MK

• KMID: 2565190
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14373/JKDA.2025.31.1.38

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the nutritional status and dietary quality of 863 young adults living in one-person households (OH, n=338) and multi-person households (MH, n=525), using the Korean Nutrition Quotient (NQ) for adults. The total NQ score for women in OH was significantly lower than for those in MH. For both men and women, the NQ score for the balance domain was significantly lower in OH than in MH, and the practice domain was significantly lower for women in OH. Regarding the dietary quality in the balance domain, both men and women participants in OH had a significantly lower intake frequency of vegetables, fruits, fish, beans, nuts, and whole or mixed grains than their counterparts in MH, with respect to the moderation domain, the men in OH consumed spicy and salty broth-based foods more frequently than those in MH, while women in OH consumed red meat less frequently than those in MH. With regard to the practice domain, the frequency of heavy drinking was significantly higher among women in OH, while men in OH were more likely to wash their hands before eating than those in MH. These results suggest that young adults living alone are likely to have lower overall NQ scores and exhibit less desirable dietary behaviors. This underscores the need for nutrition support to improve the dietary quality of young adults living alone.

Keyword

one-person households; young adults; dietary quality; nutrition quotient