Cross-sectional examination of physical and social contexts of episodes of eating and drinking in a national sample of US adults.
OBJECTIVE
The current study characterizes associations between physical and social contexts of self-reported primary episodes of eating/drinking and sociodemographic and obesity-related variables in US adults.


METHODS
Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyse a nationally representative sample of adults from the 2006-2008 American Time Use Survey. Models identifying physical (where) and social (whom) contexts of primary eating/drinking episodes at the population level, controlling for demographic characteristics, weight status and time of eating, were conducted.


METHODS
A nationally representative sample of US adults (n 21 315).


RESULTS
Eating/drinking with immediate family was positively associated with age (OR = 1·15 (95 % CI 1·04, 1·27) to 1·23 (95 % CI 1·09, 1·39)), education level (OR = 1·16 (95 % CI 1·03, 1·30) to 1·36 (95 % CI 1·21, 1·54)), obesity (OR = 1·13 (95 % CI 1·04, 1·22)), children in the household (OR = 3·39 (95 % CI 3·14, 3·66)) and time of day (OR = 1·70 (95 % CI 1·39, 2·07) to 5·73 (95 % CI 4·70, 6·99)). Eating in the workplace was negatively associated with female gender (OR = 0·65 (95 % CI 0·60, 0·70)) and children in the household (OR = 0·90 (95 % CI 0·83, 0·98)), while positively associated with non-white status (OR = 1·14 (95 % CI 1·01, 1·29) to 1·47 (95 % CI 1·32, 1·65)) and time of day (OR = 0·25 (95 % CI 0·28, 0·30) to 5·65 (95 % CI 4·66, 6·85)). Women (OR = 0·80 (95 % CI 0·74, 0·86)), those aged >34 years (OR = 0·48 (95 % CI 0·43, 0·54) to 0·83 (95 % CI 0·74, 0·93)) and respondents with children (OR = 0·69 (95 % CI 0·63, 0·75)) were less likely to eat in a restaurant/bar/retail than at home. Overweight and obese respondents had a greater odds of reporting an episode of eating in social situations v. alone (e.g. immediate family and extended family; OR = 1·13 (95 % CI 1·04, 1·22)) and episodes occurring in restaurant/bar/retail locations (OR = 1·12 (95 % CI 1·03, 1·23) to 1·14 (95 % CI 1·05, 1·24)).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings underscore the multidimensional nature of describing eating/drinking episodes. Social and physical contexts for eating/drinking and their demographic correlates suggest opportunities for tailoring interventions related to diet and may inform intervention targeting and scope.
1Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences,Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate/CMRP,Support to National Cancer Institute,Health Behaviors Research Branch,SAIC-Frederick,Inc.,6130 Executive Blvd,Room 4039,MSC 7335,NCI-Frederick,Frederick,Rockville,MD 21702,USA.
April
A
Oh
2Gillings School of Global Public Health,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,Chapel Hill,NC,USA.
Temitope
T
Erinosho
3Department of Preventive Medicine,University of Southern California,Los Angeles,CA,USA.
Genevieve
G
Dunton
4Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences,National Cancer Institute,Rockville,MD,USA.
Frank
F
M Perna
4Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences,National Cancer Institute,Rockville,MD,USA.
David
D
Berrigan
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004326:Drinking; D004435:Eating; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012147:Restaurants; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult