Relationship Between Electronic Device Usage and Frailty Among Older Adults Living Alone in South Korea: Analysis of the Mediating Effect of Nutrition Management.

Background/

Objective

Frailty is a major public health concern among older adults, particularly those living alone who may experience limited social support and increased nutritional vulnerability. With the rapid expansion of digital technologies, electronic device usage has become an important factor influencing daily life and health behaviors in older populations. This study aimed to examine the association between electronic device usage and frailty among older adults living alone and to investigate whether nutrition management mediates this relationship.

Methods

This cross-sectional study conducted a secondary analysis using data from the 2023 Korean Elderly Survey. A total of 3423 adults aged ≥ 65 years who were living alone and completed the survey independently were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0. Mediation analysis was conducted using Model 4 of the PROCESS macro (version 4.1) to examine the mediating role of nutrition management in the relationship between electronic device usage and frailty.

Results

Electronic device usage was negatively associated with frailty and positively associated with nutrition management. Frailty was significantly higher among individuals with poorer nutrition management. Mediation analysis indicated that electronic device usage had both a direct effect on frailty and an indirect effect through nutrition management. Nutrition management partially mediated the relationship between electronic device usage and frailty, accounting for approximately 18% of the total effect.

Conclusions

Electronic device usage was associated with lower levels of frailty among older adults living alone, and this relationship was partially mediated by nutrition management. These findings suggest that improving digital engagement may support better nutrition management and potentially contribute to frailty prevention among older adults living alone. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the causal relationships among these variables.