Leaving the parental home is linked to a decline in diet quality among adolescents and young adults, according to a study published in Health and Place on Mar. 23. The research examined how moving out affects dietary habits for Australians aged 14 to 27 years.
This topic matters because adolescence and early adulthood are important periods for forming lifelong eating habits, which can influence risks of obesity and related health issues later on.
The study followed participants from the Raine Study's generation 2 cohort, who completed food frequency questionnaires at ages 14, 17, 20, 22, and 27. Researchers measured diet quality using discretionary food intake—the proportion of energy from foods not part of the five core groups—and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score. Higher DASH scores indicate better diets.
Results showed that after leaving their parental homes, participants' DASH scores dropped by about one point while their intake of discretionary foods increased by about one percent. Those living with partners experienced the largest reduction in diet score compared with those still living at home; smaller decreases were seen among those living alone or with friends. By age 27, nearly two-thirds had moved out; almost half lived with a partner.
The study found that these changes persisted over time: "the lower DASH diet score associated with leaving home appeared to persist over time," researchers wrote. However, they noted that increases in discretionary food intake narrowed as time passed after moving out.
Researchers acknowledged several limitations: dietary data was self-reported; some subgroups were small; timing of moves was inferred rather than directly observed; and there was no follow-up between ages 22 and 27—when many left home—which limited precision regarding transition timing.
The authors said future studies should examine additional factors such as motivations for food choices, income changes, time constraints, sex differences, and age interactions during this life stage.
