Mental Illness, Not Obesity Status, is Associated with Food Insecurity Among the Elderly in the Health and Retirement Study

Objectives: Food insecurity, limited or uncertain access to adequate nutrition, is an increasingly recognized determinant of health outcomes and is often associated with having obesity. It is unclear, however, if this association persists in elderly populations. Methods: We conducted a cross-section...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of nutrition in gerontology and geriatrics 2019-04, Vol.38 (2), p.149-172
Main Authors: Brostow, Diana P., Gunzburger, Elise, Abbate, Lauren M., Brenner, Lisa A., Thomas, Kali S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
at-risk population
behavior disorders
Body mass index
Body weight
Cohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
demography
Depression
elderly
Female
Food
food insecurity
Food security
Food Supply - statistics & numerical data
Geriatrics
health care workers
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
medical history
Mental disorders
Mental Disorders - epidemiology
mental health
Nursing
nutrition
Nutrition Surveys
Obesity
Obesity - epidemiology
Overweight
patients
Poverty
Race Factors
regression analysis
Retirement
Risk Factors
Smoking
smoking (habit)
United States
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Summary:Objectives: Food insecurity, limited or uncertain access to adequate nutrition, is an increasingly recognized determinant of health outcomes and is often associated with having obesity. It is unclear, however, if this association persists in elderly populations. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2868 participants' aged 65+ years from the Health and Retirement Study. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess associations between food insecurity and body mass index, demographic characteristics, psychiatric history, and medical history. Results: Participants with overweight/obesity had a higher prevalence of food insecurity than leaner counterparts, however, weight status was not a significant predictor of food insecurity after multivariate adjustment. Instead, mental illness, current smoking status, and non-White race were all independently associated with food insecurity. Discussion: Beyond financial status, health care providers are encouraged to use these characteristics to identify elderly patients that may be at risk of food insecurity.
ISSN:2155-1197
2155-1200
2155-1200
DOI:10.1080/21551197.2019.1565901