Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to nutritional and safe foods. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open examined the association between food insecurity and faster rates of cognitive declines among community-dwelling older adults. The analysis indicated that food insecurity was prevalent and associated with a decrease in executive function.
This retrospective cohort study used data from a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older. The participants were recruited for the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Community-dwelling NHATS participants were followed up for a maximum of 7 years. Data was collected from 2012 to 2020.
The researchers analyzed data collected from 3,037 participants. 57.8% were younger than 75 years, 56.2% were women, and 84.9% were White. Over 7 years, 417 participants (12.1%) experienced food insecurity at least once.
The researchers evaluated immediate memory, delayed memory, and executive function collected. A 10-item word-list memory task (a range from 0-10, with higher scores indicating more words recalled), immediate and delayed recall. Executive function was measured by the clock drawing test (higher scores indicated a more accurate depiction of a clock). Each year’s cognitive functions were linked to the prior year’s food insecurity data.
The findings highlight the pressures of food insecurity facing many people, but such economic situations are especially debilitating for older populations. Interventions and policies to increase access to healthy food are critical for supporting the cognitive and physical health of older adults with limited financial resources. The researchers will continue to research intervention studies to determine whether food assistance programs can prevent and reduce executive function decline among older adults.
Sources: Eureka News Alert, JAMA Network Open, National Health and Aging Trends Study
