title: Is one's usual dinner companion associated with greater odds of depression? Using data from the 2014 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Support from one's family has been reported to have a positive effect on depression severity. Hence, family dinnertimes, when whole family can gather together, can be effective to depression by providing support from family.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigate the association between the dinner companion and depression, and the differences in this association by gender, living arrangement and household composition.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014 data. A total of 4,181 individuals were included. We classified participants by their dinner companions as follows: dinner with family, dinner with others and eating alone. Depression was measured by using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those who ate dinner alone (odds ratio (OR): 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-2.25) had higher depression rate compared to those who had dinner with family. The subgroup analysis indicated that men, those who live with others and those living in a second-generation household who ate dinner alone had greater odds of having depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Those who usually eat dinner alone have greater odds of developing depression compared to those who have dinner with their family. As such, family dinnertimes may help to alleviate depressive moods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yeong Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Hospital Administration, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Thkim@yuhs.ac tannykim74@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tae Hyun
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D016017:Odds Ratio; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depression; dinnertime; eating behavior; family