EAT (Everyone At the Table): Does social eating reduce the experience of loneliness in older Australians?

“Loneliness is associated with psychological distress and depression, increased morbidity and mortality in later life. We wanted to know if social eating could be an early intervention in the prevention of loneliness and associated mental health problems.”

- Coveney

There is an association between the lack of strong social networks and health as strong as the epidemiological evidence linking smoking and health.

Goal

Reduce the experiences of loneliness in older Australian populations.

Aims

Investigate the extent to which social eating reduces loneliness in older Australians.
Examine the effects of a social eating intervention on the experience of loneliness.
Investigate the effect of the frequency social eating on the nutritional quality of diet.
Examine the manner in which a social eating intervention can be fully implemented as planned and proposed, and whether an extended program is feasible.