Food insecurity in later life is linked to higher odds of probable dementia
Older adults who struggled to afford enough food had roughly twice the odds of screening positive for probable dementia, according to a study that tracked more than 2,000 Americans from middle age into older age.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that older adults who experienced food insecurity in later life had roughly twice the odds of screening positive for probable dementia compared to those with reliable access to food. The research, conducted by Cindy W. Leung and her colleagues at the Harvard T.H.
Chan School of Public Health and the University of Michigan, analyzed data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, which has been following U.S. adults since 1968. The study found that food insecurity only in middle age did not show a statistically significant increase in odds. The paper highlights the link between food insecurity and various health problems, including poor diet quality, cardiometabolic disease, psychological distress, and worse mental health.
Growing evidence also suggests that food insecurity may affect the brain, with food-insecure older adults showing poorer cognitive functioning and a higher risk of dementia. The researchers are particularly interested in whether the timing of food insecurity matters, as studies in other countries have found that older adults who experienced hunger or food insecurity in childhood were more likely to show cognitive impairment or dementia later in life.
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