, /PRNewswire/ -- New Feeding America research estimates 1 in 11 seniors (age 60 and older) and 1 in 8 older adults (age 50 to 59) faced hunger in in 2022. These estimates shed light on the extent to which food insecurity – or having limited access to enough food to live a healthy lifestyle – affects individuals in these two groups. In 2022, 6.
9 million out of 79 million seniors in were food insecure, the most recent year for which data is available. In that same year, 4.9 million out of 41 million older adults were food insecure.
Combined, nearly 12 million adults ages 50 and over are struggling to make ends meet. "Food insecurity is so closely tied to health, which becomes especially critical as we age. Addressing food insecurity among seniors would help reduce chronic health conditions and could result in healthier communities overall," said , Feeding America president and chief operating officer.
"The size of the aging population in America is growing each year and we must work together to ensure seniors have access to the food they need to thrive." Feeding America's estimates of food insecurity among seniors and older adults in 2022 reflect an increase of approximately 25% over the prior year. The increase is in line with the rise in food insecurity for most populations in 2022, impacted in part by the expiration of many pandemic-era programs and high prices, especially for food.
Many seniors are bound by limited, fixed incomes, so the effect of higher prices can be .
