Fig. 1

Gender- and age-specific multilevel logistic regression of association between eating alone and depressive symptom in relation to living alone. Gender- and age-specific multilevel logistic regression model was used to analyse the association between eating alone and depressive symptom in relation to living alone, adjusted for age, gender, education, employment status, perception of economic status, marriage, having a child, smoking, drinking, physical activity, underlying conditions and limitation in activity of daily living. The variable of county/district was treated as the group variable in the multilevel logistic regression model. For each of the four associations displayed in the figure, multilevel logistic regression model was shown to be an improved one compared with logistic regression model, examined by the likelihood ratio test (P < 0.001). Both not alone: eating and living with others. Living alone only: living alone but eating with others. Both alone: eating and living alone. Eating alone only: eating alone but living with others