(P23-002-23) Association of Food Insecurity With Physical and Mental Health in Older Adults

Objectives: Food insecurity persists among 12% of older adults in the United States. Financial hardship may create challenges for older adults, making it difficult for some to afford proper nutrition; as a consequence, they may skip meals due to not having enough money for food. Lack of nutritious food likely impacts older adults’ health. The objective of this study was to examine the association between skipping meals (a measure of food insecurity) and physical and mental health outcomes in a nationally representative study of older adults.

Methods: Using data (n=7,075) from Round 2 (2012) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), we used logistic regression models to examine the relationship between skipping meals and physical and mental health. Skipping meals was assessed with the question, “[in] the last month, did you skip any meals because there wasn’t enough food, or enough money to buy food?” Physical capacity was measured as the ability to walk 6 blocks, walk up 20 stairs, carry 20 pounds, open a sealed jar, or hold a heavy object overhead, with yes/no responses. Mental health was measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-2 for depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 for anxiety. Insomnia symptoms were measured by taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep and waking unintentionally after sleep onset. Models were adjusted for demographics plus diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

Results: Older adults who skip meals, compared to those who do not, were 3 times less likely to be able to walk 6 blocks and 3.5 times less likely to be able to walk up 20 stairs [O.R. 3.04 (95% CI: 1.43, 6.44, p< 0.005) and O.R. 3.46 (95% CI: 1.68, 7.13, p< 0.005), respectively]. Results for carrying 20 pounds, opening a sealed jar, and holding a heavy object overhead were not significant. Further, older adults who skip meals are more likely to experience symptoms of insomnia, O.R. 2.19 (95% CI: 1.03, 4.69, p< 0.05), anxiety O.R. 2.74 (95% CI: 1.32, 5.72, p< 0.01), and depression O.R. 4.15 (95% CI: 1.99, 8.67, p< 0.001).

Conclusions: Older adults who skip meals, a measure of food insecurity, are at increased risk of poorer physical and mental health outcomes.

Funding Sources: The National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) is sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (grant number U01AG032947).