Project Description:
Objectives: This project will produce three manuscripts which will:
1) Identify mid-life predictors of living in a food insecure household at age 60 and older,
controlling for sociodemographic characteristics;
2) Determine whether living in a food insecure household in mid-life is associated with reduced
odds of wellbeing or healthy aging among persons age 60 and older; and,
3) Examine changes in the odds of living in a food insecure household among adults as they
transition onto Social Security retirement benefits.
Methods: Dr. Brucker and two consultants, Dr. Sophie Mitra and Dr. Katie Jajtner, will draw on
their experience using the Panel Study on Income Dynamics (PSID) to examine wellbeing and
healthy aging among older Americans as well as their experience in conducting food security related
research with other nationally representative data sets to conduct innovative research which
intersects the aging and food security domains. Using data from the PSID, a nationally
representative study which has tracked over 18,000 individuals living in 5,000 families since 1968,
the research team will employ multivariate methods to address the objectives noted above. The
PSID is the only nationally representative panel survey that includes the full 18-item Household
Food Security Module, a supplement designed to measure overall household food security as well as
different facets of food security. The PSID also gathers information on correlates of food insecurity
(i.e. sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, household structure, income, employment,
and public program participation), measures of wellbeing and healthy aging, and Social Security
receipt
Policy implications: This project will identify midlife predictors of food insecurity among older
adults, the association between midlife food insecurity and aging outcomes, and the relative effect of
transitions onto Social Security retirement benefits on food security for older adults. Information
about midlife predictors of food insecurity will add to the current literature on the causes of food
insecurity among older adults and can be used to identify younger subpopulations at greatest risk of
developing food insecurity in old age, providing opportunities for early intervention and more
targeted outreach. Such information can be used at the federal, state and local levels by a variety of
agencies and organizations. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service, for example, can use such
information as they guide the development of state-level outreach programs for certain
subpopulations to encourage SNAP participation. The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services Administration on Community Living, which provides nutrition services to seniors as
authorized by the Older Americans Act, can use such information to guide service delivery as well.
Non-profit organizations that address hunger in America (e.g. Feeding America, etc.) can also
benefit from the information provided here. These same organizations, as well as other
organizations which serve older adults, will benefit from understanding how midlife food insecurity
is associated with aging outcomes such as wellbeing and healthy aging. Information about the
relative impact of transitions to Social Security retirement benefits on food insecurity will highlight
whether this period should be an area of focus for nutrition assistance programming as well.
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Legislators/Policy Makers, General Public
