Almost 15%of American seniors live with the threat of hunger, new research finds.The consequences could have huge implications for the providers who takecare of them, experts say.
“Compounding the problem is that food insecurity is also associated witha host of poor health outcomes for seniors such as reduced nutrientintakes and limitations in activities of daily living,” University ofIllinois professor Craig Gundersen, Ph.D., told MedicalNews Today.
The overall rate of hunger increased 78% between 2001 and 2010,according to statistics compiled by the National Soybean ResearchLaboratory. That rate was accelerated by the onset of the recession in2007 to 2010, when it increased by 34%, according to the data.
This study is the first in a series of annual reports on the state ofsenior hunger in the United States. It was prepared for the Meals onWheels Research Foundation, Inc., and published in May 2012.
