Nicole Cavalino, Nederland. Food insecurity is an important but often overlooked factor affecting the health of a significant portion of Americans, prevalent in persons living alone, low-income families and older adults. In the United States, 1 in 8 people struggles with hunger. Food insecurity exists in every county and town in the United States.

To best recognize and address food insecurity in our community we need to first understand the difference between hunger and living with food insecurity.  Being “hungry” is a description given when there is a lack of food available. Hunger can be short term or long-term (starvation). While living with food insecurity describes a situation in which someone may have enough food on occasion and doesn’t necessarily live in consistent hunger, but the food they are eating isn’t nutritious, consistent or up to dietary standards.  

As healthcare providers seek to better understand and address social determinants for overall health, food insecurity is emerging as a key factor. Food security is a strong predictor of chronic disease, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and lung disease, according to Meals on Wheels America. It can also contribute to or worsen mental health issues like depression and anxiety. 

Anxiety & Depression: Food insecurity is stressful, can cause feelings of shame and encourage isolation. The inability to provide consistent healthy food for yourself or your family can lead to depression. According to a recent report from Feeding America, food-insecure adults over the age of 70 are 60% more likely to suffer from chronic stress and depression due to the constant worrying about your next meal.

Heart Disease: Food insecurity also has negative effects on the heart, both from a level of stress and other physiological complications. Consistent worry about your next meal can lead to prolonged stress which can increase your risk of elevated blood pressure, overeating (when available), greater likelihood to smoke, and a sedentary lifestyle - all leading causes of heart disease.  

Diabetes: AARP determined that food insecure adults over the age of 65 were nearly three times more likely to suffer from diabetes, than food-secure adults of the same age.  The physiological effects of food insecurity and diabetes are complicated. Not only does food insecurity increase the risk of diabetes, but the onset of diabetes also requires a specific, often more expensive and less accessible diet.

Food insecurity is a serious problem for many older adults and is expected to worsen as our population ages and socio-economic disparities increase. Currently eight to 10 million Americans over the age of 65 struggle to find, pay for, prepare, or consume a daily nutritious meal or balanced diet.  When you consider our beautiful Rocky Mountain terrain, the probable number of isolated, food-insecure older adults in our community is heartbreaking.

It takes a village. When like-minded organizations coordinate, we are better able to address issues in our community, as a community. Mountain Peak Life is partnering with fellow mountain community organizations along the Peak to Peak region, the Town of Nederland and Boulder County Area Agency on Aging to address food insecurity affecting the health of our older isolated adults.

A collaborative home-delivery meal program is being developed to serve our 60+ adults living in the Peak to Peak region who experience food insecurity.  If you are or know someone who is: isolated, age 60+, or have a disability that prevents attendance to our congregate meals site (Mondays & Wednesday at the Nederland Community Center) contact us to discuss receiving nutritious home delivery meals.

Contact Mountain Peak Life: 303-258-0799 or mountainpeaklife.nas@gmail.com

(Originally published in the August 29, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)