Silver Years, Empty Plates: Food Insecurity in a Changing America

• In Event: Growing Older, Growing Needs: Economic Insecurity, Caregiving, and Food Insecurity in Later Life

Abstract

Food insecurity, defined as limited access to adequate food for a healthy lifestyle, has increased among adults aged 60 and above from 5.3% in 2001 to 9.2% in 2023.  Marginal food insecurity, in which there are problems or anxiety about accessing adequate food but food intake is not substantial reduced has risen from 10.9% in 2001 to 16.2% in 2023.  Understanding and addressing the everyday realities of food insecurity in old age is increasingly important in the United States because a growing proportion of the population is older than sixty-five. However, tomorrow’s older adults will be demographically different than today’s older adults.  Policy and economic conditions are likely to differ in important ways as well.  We examine how demographic change, policy change and the economic climate have been related to older adult food insecurity over the last two decades.  Then, we estimate the future level of older adult food insecurity under different demographic, economic and policy conditions.

We use Current Population Survey data from the Food Security Supplement for 2001-2023 to estimate models of household food insecurity as a function of individual and state level characteristics. We then conduct a straightforward policy simulation using our preferred model to break down the change in food insecurity levels among older adults over time attributable to changes in demographic composition, food policy environment, and other state factors including the non-food policy and economic conditions.

Since this analysis is focused on adults aged 60 and older, this paper makes several unique contributions. First, we identify demographic factors that alone might increase and decrease levels of food insecurity among this age group and estimate their net effect. Second, while state SNAP policies are frequently cited as an important determinant of food insecurity for the full population, we look beyond SNAP to consider the role of other food and nutrition assistance programs targeted at older adults such as congregate meal sites, senior centers and Meals on Wheels.  Importantly, our simulations include estimates for levels of older adult food insecurity under policy conditions being currently considered that dramatically reduce the level of support for these programs.

Early results suggest that large changes in demographic characteristics have occurred in the last twenty years in areas such as older adult education levels, employment levels, race and ethnicity, metropolitan residence, and veteran status that are highly correlated with food insecurity. The state food landscape shifted in ways that are associated with reduced levels of food insecurity while non-food policies shifted in ways that increased food insecurity, with most of the change occurring during the 2001-2007 time-period. Macroeconomic conditions are still important for this age group but have moved in ways that have ultimately reduced food insecurity among older adults.

Given the relationship between food insecurity and health, healthcare utilization and costs among older adults, it is critical that policymakers understand and prepare for future older adult food insecurity levels.

Authors

• Colleen M Heflin, Syracuse University
  Presenting Author

• Clay Fannin, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  Non-Presenting Co-Author