People living on their own are more likely to have unhealthy diets that lack key nutrients, researchers have found.

A team from Queensland University of Technology analyzed 41 studies, to investigate the link between living alone and food and nutrient intake.

The team’s report, published in the journal Nutrition Reviews, noted that individuals who lived on their own tend not to have adequate cooking skills or partners to help them with shopping. Men living alone were more likely to have a poor diet than women.

“The research suggests living alone may represent a barrier to healthy eating that is related to the cultural and social roles of food and cooking,” Katherine Hanna, co-author of the study, said in a release.

“For example, a lack of motivation and enjoyment in cooking and/or eating alone often led to people preparing simple or ready-made meals lacking key nutrients.”

The increasing cost of food also factored into lower consumption of core food groups like fruits, vegetables and fish, which can be expensive.

The psychological impact of living alone was also cited as a reason for poor eating.

“Previous research has found loneliness, for example, is a significant predictor of malnutrition in the elderly,” Hanna said.