Food Insecurity Tied to Dementia Risk, Memory Decline in Older Adults

Food insecurity is associated with higher risk of developing dementia, poorer memory function, and faster memory decline, according to study findings published in JAMA Network Open.

The impact of food insecurity on Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) is not extensively studied quantitatively, despite its potential influence through various mechanisms. For the current study, researchers sought to assess whether food insecurity among older adults is associated with a higher risk for dementia and memory decline.

The researchers evaluated 7012 adults (mean age, 67; 58% women; 69.2% non-Hispanic White) aged 50 and older from the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS) who had food insecurity data from 2013 and cognitive outcome data from 2014 to 2018. They reported on the potential association between food insecurity in older adults and cognitive outcomes in later life, specifically focusing on respondents with both food insecurity and cognitive outcome data.

Among the participants in the analytic sample, 18.4% encountered food insecurity. Of this group, 10.3% experienced low food security, while 8.1% faced very low food security.

At the start of the study, approximately 11% of individuals aged 65 and older reported being food insecure, while only 28% of participants aged 65 and younger reported food insecurity.

Compared to older adults with food security, those who reported low food security had 1.38 times higher odds of developing dementia (95% CI, 1.15-1.67). 

Similarly, those experiencing very low food security had 1.37 times higher odds of developing dementia (95% CI, 1.11-1.69).

In comparison to older adults who reported food security, those experiencing low and very low food security demonstrated declining levels of memory at age 70 (low β = −0.04; 95% CI, −0.08 to 0.00; very low β=−0.06; 95% CI, −0.1 to −0.01).

Study limitations included the potential underrepresentation of participants with reduced cognitive function in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP], despite adjusting for preexposure cognition, and the possibility of residual confounding.

“Bolstering SNAP by making it easier for older adults who are SNAP eligible to apply could potentially mitigate the negative association food insecurity has with brain health,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosure: Multiple study authors declared affiliations with biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or device companies. Please see the original reference for a full list of authors’ disclosures.