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Food insecurity among veterans: Findings from the health and retirement study

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

We examined the prevalence of food insecurity in an older population, specifically assessing factors associated with food insecurity among U.S. military Veterans.

Methods

Data from the 2012 wave of the Health and Retirement Study and the 2013 Health Care and Nutrition Mail Survey of 2560 male participants (1254 Veterans) were used to estimate the prevalence of food insecurity and to identify significant predictors of food insecurity among male Veterans.

Results

Among male Veterans, 6.4% reported food insecurity, compared to 11.9% of male non-veterans (p < 0.01). Younger age, difficulty with daily activities and depression were significantly associated with increased odds of food insecurity among male Veterans aged 50 to 64. In male Veterans age 65 years and older, current smoking, a psychiatric diagnosis and depression were significantly associated with increased odds of food insecurity.

Conclusions

This study identified significant factors that may be used to target interventions to improve nutritional status among older male Veterans

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Seattle-Denver Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Denver VA Medical Center, 1055 Clermont St., Denver, CO, 80220, USA

    Diana P. Brostow & E. Gunzburger

  2. University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA

    E. Gunzburger

  3. Center of Innovation in Long-Term Services and Supports, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA

    K. S. Thomas

  4. Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    K. S. Thomas

Authors
  1. Diana P. Brostow
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  2. E. Gunzburger
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  3. K. S. Thomas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Diana P. Brostow.

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Brostow, D.P., Gunzburger, E. & Thomas, K.S. Food insecurity among veterans: Findings from the health and retirement study. J Nutr Health Aging 21, 1358–1364 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0910-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0910-7

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