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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food Surveys Research Group » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #409053
Research Project: The Role of Dietary and Lifestyle Factors on Nutrition and Related Health Status Using Large-Scale Survey Data

Location: Food Surveys Research Group

Title: A method for assessing the prevalence of food insecurity in older adults based on resource- constraints and food-related physical functioning limitations

Author
item SASSINE, ANNIEBELLE - University Of Maryland
item RABBITT, MATTHEW - Economic Research Serivce (ERS, USDA)
item COLEMAN-JENSEN, ALISHA - Economic Research Serivce (ERS, USDA)
item Moshfegh, Alanna
item SAHYOUN, NADINE - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Current Developments in Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/21/2024
Publication Date: 10/29/2024
Citation: Sassine, A.J., Rabbitt, M.P., Coleman-Jensen, A., Moshfegh, A.J., Sahyoun, N.R. 2024. A method for assessing the prevalence of food insecurity in older adults based on resource- constraints and food-related physical functioning limitations. Current Developments in Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104494.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104494

Interpretive Summary: This study introduces a novel cross-classification method that combines economic and physical dimensions to assess the food security status of older adults (60+ years) participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2018). Results demonstrated that the prevalence of food insecurity was 38% higher when assessed using the combined scale, as opposed to traditional economic methods alone. The new scale was correlated with sociodemographic characteristics and food insecurity and was significantly associated with depression and self-reported poor health. This combined measure offers a more accurate assessment of food insecurity prevalence among older adults, who are at risk of poor mental health.

Technical Abstract: This study introduces a novel cross-classification method that combines economic and physical dimensions to assess the food security status of older adults participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2018). The sample (n=10,237) included adults aged 60 years and older who had complete economic food security and physical functioning data. The new cross-classification method that combines both physical and economic food security was analyzed to test whether using USDA's 10-item adult economic food security method and the alternative cross-classification method proposed in this study showed different estimates. Results demonstrated that the prevalence of food insecurity was 38% higher when assessed using the combined scale, as opposed to traditional economic methods alone. Further, the new scale was correlated with sociodemographic characteristics and food insecurity and was significantly associated with depression and self-reported poor health. This study showed that using an expanded economic and physical food security scale to evaluate dimensions beyond the economic aspect can offer a more comprehensive assessment of food insecurity in older adults. This is particularly relevant when factors such as ability to shop and prepare meals are not encompassed by the central dimension of the current food insecurity measure. Further research is needed to demonstrate the validity of this approach in different contexts and subpopulations.