Measuring Food Insecurity in Older Adults Using Both Physical and Economic Food Access, NHANES 2013-18.
J Nutr
; 152(8): 1953-1962, 2022 08 09.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35285903
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Economic food insecurity tools are used to detect need for assistance in the general population. However, in older adults, food insecurity can also be due to factors other than economic, such as physical inability to shop or cook.OBJECTIVES:
We determined 1) the proportion of older adults in the United States who experience physical and/or economic food insecurity; 2) differences in characteristics, diet quality, chronic conditions, and depression by economic and/or physical food insecurity; and 3) the relation of physical and economic food insecurity with diet quality and with depression.METHODS:
Data from adults aged ≥60 y of the NHANES (2013-2018) were used. Groups were created based on economic food security [measured using the USDA's Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM)] and physical food security (measured using questions evaluating ability to shop and cook). Depression, Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) score, and socioeconomic characteristics were compared by food security group. Rao-Scott χ2 tests were used to test for significant differences between categorical variables, and t tests for continuous variables. Associations between food security status, HEI-2015, and depression score were examined using linear regression analysis.RESULTS:
One-quarter (25.0%) of older adults had physical difficulty accessing food but were not living in economically food insecure households. Those who lived in economically food insecure households and also had physical difficulties accessing food had the lowest mean HEI-2015 score (51.7) and highest mean depression score (6.9); both were significantly lower than the mean scores of those who lived in food secure households (HEI-2015 = 57.3; depression = 2.1; P < 0.01).CONCLUSIONS:
Considering physical ability to shop for and prepare food when measuring food insecurity in older adults can help identify those who might need dietary and mental health support the most, and those who need food assistance but would otherwise be missed if only measuring economic access.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Asistencia Alimentaria
/
Abastecimiento de Alimentos
Tipo de estudio:
Health_economic_evaluation
/
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
/
Equity_inequality
Límite:
Aged
/
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Nutr
Año:
2022
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos