New USDA-Funded Project Looks at Food-Related Hardships Among Older Americans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Service has allocated a $1.5 million grant to University of Illinois (U of I) research into senior hunger issues, reports Agri News . "Senior hunger is a serious issue in the United States, but compared to research done on children and on non-senior adults there's been relatively little work done on seniors," says U of I Professor Craig Gundersen. "We are hoping this program will be the kicking-off point of more research into senior food insecurity." Gundersen co-led earlier research showing food-insecure seniors are more likely to have lower nutrient intake and experience health and wellbeing problems than food-secure counterparts. "Many food insecure seniors suffering from health issues are relying on government healthcare programs," Gundersen notes. "Leaving the issue unaddressed could put a substantial burden on the nation's healthcare system. So, not only are we trying to reduce food insecurity, but also the associated health consequences, therefore mitigating the risk of overwhelming our public healthcare."