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Determinants of food insecurity among elderly people: findings from the Canadian Community Health Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2021

Moses Mosonsieyiri Kansanga Open the ORCID record for Moses Mosonsieyiri Kansanga [Opens in a new window] ,
Yujiro Sano ,
Isaac Bayor ,
Joseph Asumah Braimah Open the ORCID record for Joseph Asumah Braimah [Opens in a new window] ,
Abraham Marshall Nunbogu  and
Isaac Luginaah
Moses Mosonsieyiri Kansanga*
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
Yujiro Sano
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Isaac Bayor
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Joseph Asumah Braimah
Affiliation:
Department of Geography and Planning, Queens University, Canada
Abraham Marshall Nunbogu
Affiliation:
Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo Canada
Isaac Luginaah
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
*
*Corresponding author. Email: mkansanga@gwu.edu
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Abstract

Food insecurity among elderly people is a major public health concern due to its association with several health conditions. Despite growing research and implementation of diverse income-based policy measures, food insecurity among elderly people remains a major policy issue in Canada. Additional research could inform food policy beyond strategies that target improving the financial resources of elderly people. Drawing data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (N = 24,930), we explored the correlates of food insecurity among older adults using negative log-log logistic regression techniques. Our findings show that certain categories of elderly people are more prone to food insecurity. These segments include seniors who are visible minorities (OR = 1.29, p < 0.01), live alone (OR = 1.13, p < 0.05), have a very weak sense of community belonging (OR = 1.40, p < 0.001), in poor physical health (OR = 1.20, p < 0.01), and those in lower age and income categories. These findings corroborate previous studies that demonstrate that food insecurity among elderly people is a complex phenomenon influenced by diverse socio-economic factors. In Canada, food security policies targeted at elderly people have largely prioritised poverty alleviation through income support programmes. While these programmes can improve the purchasing power of elderly people, they may not be sufficient in ensuring food security. There is a need to embrace and further investigate an integrated approach that pays attention to other contextual socio-economic dynamics.

Keywords

food insecurityageingolder adultsCanada
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 42 , Issue 9 , September 2022 , pp. 2067 - 2081
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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