Having reliable access to adequate nutrition is important for everyone, but it is especially essential as we age. Older adults become more vulnerable to illness, and maintaining a healthy diet can be more difficult due to limited mobility or a fixed income. According to 2021 data in Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap Report, 220,650 Missouri adults over age 50 are food insecure, about 12.6% of the total population.
It is unacceptable for Missourians to go hungry. Older adults who are food insecure often experience negative mental and physical health conditions and outcomes, such as diabetes, depression, lower cognitive function, hypertension, congestive heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, osteoporosis, gum disease, and asthma. Food-insecure older adults (compared to food-secure older adults) are 19% more likely to have high blood pressure, 57% more likely to have congestive heart failure, 65% more likely to be diabetic, and 66% more likely to have experienced a heart attack. In addition, food insecurity significantly increases the risk for falls, which are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older adults. But there are proven solutions to this problem.
Organizations and individuals focused on fighting hunger, supporting older adults, and improving the health of Missourians are working together to address hunger in older adults. Programs at the state and federal level could help low-income adults get a healthy, balanced diet, and you can help us influence policy change to make that possible. Submit your information below to get involved in our campaign to end hunger for older Missourians.
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