Melinda Garcia

COMHE 413

Dec. 11 th 2014

FOOD SECURITY

AND

THE AGING POPULATION

Corbin Hill Food Project (CHFP) is a network of rural farms

and urban communities in New York

Created by residents of Harlem and the Bronx to bring fresh produce

to low-income communities

Community organizations host Farm Share distributions once a week

Farmers from upstate Schoharie County produce fruits and

vegetables for the Farm Share

CORBIN HILL FOOD PROJECT

Each season, local fruits and vegetables are

del ivered to shareholders who pay to receive

freshly harvested produce

CHFP is designed to serve low -income

communities

Offer flexible membership terms and

affordable prices

Distribution sites in the Bronx, Washington

Heights, Harlem, Queens, and East New

York

Conduct community outreach ( i .e. cooking

demonstrations, nutrit ion workshops, and

events)

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

CHFP was located at Founder and

President Dennis Derryck's home

on 119 West 120th Street, New

York, NY 10027

Relocated in the Bronx on 370 East

149th Street, Bronx, 10455

Over 15 distribution sites in the

South Bronx, Washington Heights,

and Harlem

Now distribute to sites in Queens

and East New York

CORBIN HILL FOOD PROJECT

THE INTERNS

FOOD BANK FOR NYC COMMUNITY

KITCHEN & FOOD PANTRY

Implemented an garden program for senior

citizens residing in Harlem

Worked alongside the Associate Director

of Community Nutrition

Maintained garden and assisted seniors with

gardening, harvesting, and packaging foods for

the Food Bank

Tomatoes, stevia, basil, cilantro, and mint

Created and facilitated nutrition and wellness

workshops

Supervised weekly walks to the local farmer’s

market

Attended NYC DOHMH cooking

demonstrations

Assisted the CHFP Community Organizer with

weekly farm share distributions

HERB & VEGETABLE GARDEN

CHFP FARM SHARE

FOOD SECURITY

Food security is based on three

fundamentals…

Food availability – the quantity

and frequency of food made

available to individuals

Food access – the ability to

obtain an adequate and

nutritious meal

Food use – appropriate use of

food based on knowledge of

nutrition and hygiene

Food diversity among elderly population residing in Tosa,

Kochi, Prefecture, Japan

Kimura et al. found that food diversity was closely associated with

overall quality of life, daily activities, and mental health

Age and food diversity were inversely related – as an individual’s age

increased, diversity in their diet decreased

Change in nutrient and food intake with age

Zhu et al. concluded nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and

proteins declined with age.

Decrease in nutrient intake was especially high for elderly women

BACKGROUND

Effectiveness of food education programs in Hong Kong

Chung et al. concluded that low-income elderly will opt for low-cost

foods, often times sacrificing proper nutrition for price.

Seniors with limited knowledge of nutrition tend to find cooking to be

a difficult task, frequently purchasing already prepared foods

Elderly men with somatic disease and their food -related

activities.

Kullberg et al. found that cooking was often times referred to as a

chore and among men, found to be a gendered activity

Men reported a desire to lead independent lives, asking for as little

help was possible when completing tasks

Despite cooking being thought of as a gendered task , older women

are at a much higher risk than men for poor nutrition and food

insecurity, due largely to financial dependency.

BACKGROUND

NATIONAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION

EXAMINATION SURVEY (NHANES)

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) and National Center

for Health Statistics (NCHS)

Combines interview and physical

examinations to record and assess

the health and nutritional status of

individuals in the United States

Data collected from 2009-2010

Food Security section

10,538 participants

1,523 Adults 65 years and older

NHANES: GENDER

NHANES: RACE AND ETHNICITY

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Race/Ethincity

Race/Ethnicity (65 years or older)

Mexican American

Other Hispanic

Non-Hispanic White

Non-Hispanic Black

Other/Multi-Racial

NHANES: WORRIED THEY WOULD RUN

OUT OF FOOD

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Worried (65 years or older)

Don't Know Refused Never True Sometimes True Often True

NHANES: COULDN’T AFFORD BALANCED

MEALS

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600Couldn’t Afford (65 years or older)

Often True Sometimes True Never True Refused Don't Know

NHANES: EAT LESS THAN THEY SHOULD

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Eat Less Than Should (65 years or

older)

Missing Don't Know #REF! No Yes

AARP: FOOD INSECURITY AMONG OLDER

ADULTS (2011)

Emphasize 50-59 age cohort because they do not have access to an age-specific welfare programs

Family incomes below 200% and below 300% of the poverty l ine

Uses survey data from the 2001-2009 Current Population Survey (CPS), and the 1999-2008 the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Nationally representative data with the full set of 18 questions on the

Core Food Security Module (CFSM)

Three characterizations of food insecurity: marginally food insecure; food insecure, and very low food secure

AARP: FOOD INSECURITY PREVALENCE

BY STATE

AARP: FOOD INSECURITY AND AGE

AARP: FOOD INSECURITY, AGE, AND

POVERTY

AARP: FOOD INSECURITY, AGE, AND

RACE/ETHNICITY

Absence in research concerning food security among seniors and risk factors

Measure food assistance programs and their availabil ity in low-income neighborhoods and communities with large elderly populations

More research on food accessibil ity for aging population

Improve interventions and preventative measures

GAPS IN RESEARCH

1. World Health Organization. Food security. Trade, foreign policy, diplomacy and health > Glossary of globalization, trade and health terms Web site. http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story028/en/. Published 2014. Updated 2014.

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). About the national health and nutrition examination survey.National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/about_nhanes.htm. Published February 3. 2014. Updated 2014. Accessed November 20, 2014.

3. Gundersen, C Ziliak, JP. Food insecurity among older adults. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) . 2011.

REFERENCES

1. Kimura Y, Wada T, Ishine M, et al. Food diversity is closely

associated with activities of daily living, depression, and

quality of life in community -dwelling elderly people. J Am

Geriatr Soc. 2009;57(5):922-4.

REFERENCES