CHICAGO, July 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New Feeding America research
estimates 1 in 11 seniors (age 60 and older) and 1 in 8 older
adults (age 50 to 59) faced hunger in the
United States in 2022. These estimates shed light on the
extent to which food insecurity – or having limited access to
enough food to live a healthy lifestyle – affects individuals in
these two groups.
In 2022, 6.9 million out of 79 million seniors in the United States were food insecure, the most
recent year for which data is available. In that same year, 4.9
million out of 41 million older adults were food insecure.
Combined, nearly 12 million adults ages 50 and over are struggling
to make ends meet.
"Food insecurity is so closely tied to health, which becomes
especially critical as we age. Addressing food insecurity among
seniors would help reduce chronic health conditions and could
result in healthier communities overall," said Linda Nageotte, Feeding America president and
chief operating officer. "The size of the aging population in
America is growing each year and we must work together to ensure
seniors have access to the food they need to thrive."
Feeding America's estimates of food insecurity among seniors and
older adults in 2022 reflect an increase of approximately 25% over
the prior year. The increase is in line with the rise in food
insecurity for most populations in 2022, impacted in part by the
expiration of many pandemic-era programs and high prices,
especially for food. Many seniors are bound by limited, fixed
incomes, so the effect of higher prices can be especially stark and
federal nutrition programs are important to helping increase access
to food for seniors.
"That's why it is more important than ever for Congress to fully
fund The Emergency Food Assistance Program, Commodity
Supplemental Food Program and other critical nutrition programs
that address and alleviate senior hunger," said Nageotte.
"Additionally, there are millions of seniors eligible for programs
like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and we encourage
lawmakers to improve access to SNAP by streamlining eligibility and
enrollment through a strong, bipartisan Farm Bill."
Seniors and older adults of color experience food insecurity at
disproportionately higher rates compared to their white
counterparts, according to the new estimates. In 2022, Black and
Latino seniors experienced rates of food insecurity 2.7 times
higher than white seniors, with rates for Black and Latino older
adults being twice as high. While these estimates do not include
separate food insecurity estimates for other racial and ethnic
groups, it has been shown through other analyses that individuals
who identify as Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian
subgroups also have disproportionately high rates of food
insecurity.
Additional key findings include:
- Seniors and older adults experiencing food insecurity live in
all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
However, nine of the ten states with the highest rates of food
insecurity for seniors and seven of the ten states for older adults
were located in the South.
- Food insecurity exacerbates many of the unique health,
economic, mobility and nutritional challenges that can come with
aging. This is especially true for those with disabilities.
Seniors with a disability had food insecurity rates over twice as
high as seniors without disabilities. For older adults, the
disparity is even greater. Older adults with disabilities had food
insecurity rates more than three times as high as older adults
without disabilities.
This research was funded by the Enterprise Mobility Foundation
through its Fill Your Tank program, a multi-year initiative
launched in 2016 to address food insecurity in communities around
the world. Enterprise's commitment to Feeding America supports
senior hunger and child hunger initiatives in communities across
the United States.
Learn more about senior hunger at feedingamerica.org.
Contact
Emily James
Feeding America
About Feeding America
Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry.
We support tens of millions of people who experience food
insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to
thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide
food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also
invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to
nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food
security and work to address factors that impact food security,
such as health, cost of living and employment.
We partner with people experiencing food insecurity,
policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a
movement to end hunger. Visit www.FeedingAmerica.org to learn
more.
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SOURCE Feeding America