Food Insecurity - Ages 60+

Food Insecurity - Ages 60+ in United States

United States

Food insecurity is a socioeconomic condition where access to food is limited or uncertain, and it differs from hunger, which is a physiological feeling. Food-insecure older adults have significantly reduced intakes of vital nutrients and a higher prevalence of health problems such as heart attack, congestive heart failure, diabetes, asthma and depression. 

Many older adults living at home report eating less or skipping meals entirely due to challenges obtaining or preparing food. Barriers to access include affordability and lack of reliable transportation, both of which may be complicated by older adults’ specific dietary needs. Even with food items available or in the house, more than half of older adults report difficulty cooking and eating meals due to functional impairments, disability, depression or general unwellness. 

Older adults with chronic conditions who experience food insecurity have higher health care costs compared with those who have the same conditions but are not food insecure. A 2019 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that adults experiencing food insecurity spent an average of $1,834 more than food-secure adults on annual health expenditures.

The prevalence of food insecurity is higher among: 

• Older adults living near or below the poverty level compared with those living above the poverty level. 
• Black and Hispanic older adults, who have a prevalence more than twice that of white older adults.
• Older adults with a disability compared with those without a disability.
• Older adults who rent. Older renters are more than 3 times as likely to be food insecure as homeowners of the same age. 
• Older adults living alone compared with those who are married.

Many multidisciplinary programs are working to reduce food insecurity among older adults:

• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) services such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) help low-income individuals get the necessary food. Older adults or their loved ones can use the National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp tool to see if they are eligible for SNAP and apply.
• The Older Americans Act Nutrition Program and Meals on Wheels deliver meals directly to seniors in their homes and community living spaces nationwide.
• Food pharmacies, which are similar to food banks or pantries but work with medical providers to meet their patients’ specific dietary health needs, are beginning to gain traction. Multiple clinics have now incorporated food pantries for patients needing food assistance. 
• The National Foundation to End Senior Hunger helps state and local agencies optimize resources and improve access to nutritious food for older adults at risk of hunger.
• AARP’s Drive to End Hunger initiative has donated over 45 million meals to adults ages 50 and older since 2011. 
• Feeding America provided more than 166 million meals to 891,000 seniors through various programs in 2020.

Reducing overall household food insecurity is a Healthy People 2030 Leading Health Indicator. 

“2020 Annual Report: Together We Are Feeding America.” Chicago, IL: Feeding America, 2021. https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2021-03/FA_2020AnnReport_FINAL_updated0309_v2.pdf.

Berkowitz, Seth A., Sanjay Basu, Craig Gundersen, and Hilary K. Seligman. “State-Level and County-Level Estimates of Health Care Costs Associated with Food Insecurity.” Preventing Chronic Disease 16 (July 11, 2019): 180549. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd16.180549.

Garcia, Sandra P., Anne Haddix, and Kevin Barnett. “Incremental Health Care Costs Associated With Food Insecurity and Chronic Conditions Among Older Adults.” Preventing Chronic Disease 15 (August 30, 2018): 180058. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd15.180058.

Lee, Jung Sun, and Edward A. Frongillo Jr. “Nutritional and Health Consequences Are Associated with Food Insecurity among U.S. Elderly Persons.” The Journal of Nutrition 131, no. 5 (May 1, 2001): 1503–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/131.5.1503.

“Spotlight on Senior Health: Adverse Health Outcomes of Food Insecure Older Americans.” Executive Summary. Feeding America, 2014. https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/research/senior-hunger-research/or-spotlight-on-senior-health-executive-summary.pdf.

Wolfe, Wendy S., Edward A. Frongillo, and Pascale Valois. “Understanding the Experience of Food Insecurity by Elders Suggests Ways to Improve Its Measurement.” The Journal of Nutrition 133, no. 9 (September 1, 2003): 2762–69. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/133.9.2762.

Ziliak, James P., and Craig Gunderson. “The State of Senior Hunger in 2019: An Annual Report.” Feeding America, August 2021. https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2021-08/2021%20-%20State%20of%20Senior%20Hunger%20in%202019.pdf.