Food Insecurity Among Seniors Still High Nearly a Decade After the Recession

Feeding America and The National Foundation to End Senior Hunger (NFESH) released today The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2015, a study about food insecurity among seniors in the U.S. The report shows that 5.4 million seniors age 60 or older (8.1 percent) were food insecure in 2015, the most recent year for which data is available. Food insecurity refers to the lack of access to enough nutritious food. An additional 4.4 million seniors (6.6 percent) reported marginal food security, a status that is less severe but one that can be problematic, especially later in life when good nutrition is essential for well-being.

Combined, the 14.7 percent of seniors in total who faced the threat of hunger in 2015 does represent a slight decrease over the prior year, and the first decline since 2009. Despite relative improvement, the rate and number of seniors affected remains well above pre-recession levels. In late 2007 when the Great Recession began, 6.3 percent and 3.2 million seniors were food insecure — 2.2 million fewer than the most recently reported total of food insecure seniors. These findings are further evidence that the benefits of the improved economy are not being enjoyed by all.

“The number of seniors facing hunger in this country remains unacceptably high. After lifetimes of hard work many of America’s seniors are put in the terrible position of having to choose between groceries and medical care,” said Feeding America CEO Diana Aviv. “These are parents, grandparents and cherished friends and we must ensure they have the nutritious food they need. Feeding America is working to prevent their hunger every day.”

“While a reduction in the percent of our nation’s seniors who sometimes find themselves lacking access to nutritious food is good news, it is not good enough,” said NFESH Founder and CEO Enid Borden. “After six successive years of increases, NFESH is delighted to see an end to that upward trend. But we certainly cannot say it heralds the end of the problem. Time will tell whether this year’s numbers represent a turning of the tide. Even if they do, it is not the proverbial tide that lifts all boats. While the overall national percentage dropped, the same is not true for all states. In fact, many states saw increases in the percent of seniors threatened by hunger. We have much more work to do.”

This latest report documents the characteristics of seniors who struggle to meet their nutritional needs. Specifically, in 2015, researchers found:

• Seniors who are racial or ethnic minorities, low-income or younger vs. older (age 60-69 vs. age 80+) were most likely to be affected by some level of food insecurity.
• Seniors who reported a disability were disproportionately affected, with 25 percent reporting food insecurity and an additional 13 percent reporting marginal food security.
• Senior food insecurity rates vary by state, ranging from 2.9% in North Dakota to 15.6% in Louisiana. When seniors who experience marginal food security are included, total rates vary from 6.1% in North Dakota to 24.3% in Mississippi. Seniors living in the South are more likely to experience food insecurity than seniors living in other parts of the country.
• Food insecurity adversely affects a person’s health, and the implications can be particularly problematic for seniors. Compared to food-secure seniors, food-insecure seniors:
  • Consume fewer calories and lower quantities of key nutrients.
  • Are more likely to experience negative health conditions, including depression, asthma, and chest pain.

In examining the extent of the threat of hunger nationally among seniors in 2015, the report also provides the rates of senior hunger in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2015 was produced by Feeding America in partnership with NFESH. The study was conducted by researchers Dr. James Ziliak and Dr. Craig Gundersen and is the source for national- and state-level information about food insecurity among seniors age 60 and older, as well as data about related health implications. An executive summary of the report can be found here.

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About Feeding America

Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.3 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.