Montefiore Health System, Bronx, New York, USA.
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, California State University, Chico, California, USA.
J Nutr Gerontol Geriatr. 2023 Apr-Jun;42(2):72-90. doi: 10.1080/21551197.2023.2202157. Epub 2023 May 21.
Understanding the factors that augment optimal health during aging is critical as the US older adult population is increasing. Most research about food insecurity, nutritional risk, and perceived health among older adults are in urban areas or congregate living facilities. Thus, the purpose of this project was to study the relationships among these factors, plus activities of daily living, in community-dwelling older adults in a medium-sized city. Using a qualitative-quantitative study design, a cross-sectional survey was completed by 167 low-income senior apartment residents. Food insecurity in this group was higher than the national and state rate, yet nutrition assistance programs were underutilized and participants under 75 years were more food insecure than their older counterparts. Food insecure residents were at greater nutritional risk, had poorer self-reported health status, were more likely to be depressed, and had a less independent function, including limitations on the ability to shop for and prepare food. The study area is desirable to retirees due to lower cost of living; however, access to services, such as grocery stores, public transportation, and health care providers is limited. This research indicates the need for increased outreach, nutrition assistance, and support services to ensure healthy aging in these regions.
了解在老龄化过程中增强最佳健康的因素至关重要，因为美国老年人口正在增加。大多数关于老年人食品不安全、营养风险和健康感知的研究都集中在城市地区或集中居住设施中。因此，本项目的目的是研究这些因素与日常生活活动之间的关系，这些因素存在于中等城市的社区居住的老年人中。采用定性-定量研究设计，对 167 名低收入老年公寓居民进行了横断面调查。该组的粮食不安全状况高于全国和州的水平，但营养援助计划未得到充分利用，75 岁以下的参与者比年长的参与者更易出现粮食不安全。粮食不安全的居民营养风险更高，自我报告的健康状况更差，更有可能抑郁，并且功能独立性较差，包括在购物和准备食物方面的能力受限。由于生活成本较低，该研究区域对退休人员很有吸引力；然而，获得服务（如杂货店、公共交通和医疗服务提供者）的机会有限。这项研究表明，需要增加外联、营养援助和支持服务，以确保这些地区的老年人健康。
