Over 9 Million Adults Ages 50 and Older Faced Food Insecurity in 2020 AARP Public Policy Institute

Over 9 Million Adults Ages 50 and Older Faced Food Insecurity in 2020

Full Report

(PDF) Related Materials (blog) Over 9 million Americans ages 50 and older (about 1 in 12) were food insecure in 2020, meaning they had limited or uncertain access to adequate, nutritious food. That number that did not change substantially from 2019, despite a pandemic that caused widespread job loss that hit older workers particularly hard. This finding suggests that congressional actions such as boosts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may have helped millions of older adults put food on the table in a time of need and prevented overall increases in food insecurity. However, the data also reveal important differences by state, age, race and ethnicity, and other demographics. Food insecurity is most prevalent among older adults who: are younger (i.e., ages 50–59); are Black, Native American, or Hispanic; are lower income; and have lower levels of educational attainment. This fact sheet describes trends in food insecurity and selected characteristics of food-insecure adults ages 50 and older. State level data are included. See the data. Suggested citation:
Dean, Olivia, and Carlos Figueiredo. Over 9 Million Adults Ages 50 and Older Faced Food Insecurity in 2020. Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute, March 31, 2022.

Search PPI

Find the Public Policy Institute content you are looking for by entering in search terms below. News Alerts Sign up for alerts on the latest research, events and videos on policy issues. Subscribe

A State Scorecard on Long-Term Services and Supports for Older Adults, People with Physical Disabilities, and Family Caregivers Aging Demographics

One in Three Americans is Now 50 or Older

By 2030, one out of every five people in the United State will be 65-plus. Will your community be ready? Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.