New research suggests that older adults who participate in food assistance programs may experience improved sleep outcomes compared to those who do not use such programs. The study, conducted by researchers at Penn State’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, found that seniors who accessed food assistance fell asleep faster and slept longer than their peers who did not use these programs[1].
The findings, published in the journal Nutrition Journal, come at a time when food insecurity among older adults is on the rise. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the national rate of food insecurity in households with adults aged 65 and older increased from 6.9% in 2020 to 9.1% in 2022[1].
Lead researcher Ashley Flores, who is completing her doctorate in nutritional sciences at Penn State, emphasized the significance of this issue: “The prevalence of food insecurity among older adults is a significant public health concern, especially since it impacts various health outcomes, including sleep”[1].
The study examined data from 1,665 participants in the 2013 and 2014 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), an ongoing annual project that interviews Medicare beneficiaries ages 65 and older. Participants were classified into three groups based on their food sufficiency status: food insufficient, food sufficient with the use of food assistance programs, or food sufficient without the use of food assistance programs[1].
Key findings from the study include:
1. Older adults who reported being food sufficient through the use of food assistance programs reported more hours of sleep overall.
2. These individuals also reported more nighttime sleep hours.
3. They were less likely to experience longer sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) compared to those who were food sufficient but did not use food assistance programs[1].
Muzi Na, associate professor of nutritional sciences and co-author of the study, noted that while their findings suggest food assistance programs may help improve certain sleep outcomes in older adults, further research is needed to understand the underlying causes and long-term effects on other health outcomes[1].
The researchers emphasized the importance of addressing food insecurity among older adults as part of a larger public health concern. Flores stated, “As our findings suggest that the use of food assistance programs may support certain sleep outcomes, expanding these programs to a broader audience may offer others the same benefits”[1].
This study adds to the growing body of evidence highlighting the interconnectedness of food security and various health outcomes in older populations. As the number of food-insecure seniors continues to rise, these findings may have important implications for public health policy and the expansion of food assistance programs for older adults.
Citations:
[1] https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-access-food-outcomes-older-adults.html
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8796981/
[3] https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-access-food-decreasing-children.html
[4] https://medicalxpress.com
[5] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com
[6] https://health.gov/our-work/national-health-initiatives/healthy-aging/social-determinants-health-and-older-adults
[7] https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-advance-food-medicine-concept-nutrition.html
[8] https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-drug-alzheimer-patients.html
