Hunger among Older Americans Spikes Nearly 80 Percent Since 2001

AARP Foundation report finds 1 in 11 Americans 50-plus at risk of hunger

Nearly 9 million Americans 50 and older face the risk of hunger, according to new research commissioned by AARP Foundation. The report, produced by James P. Ziliak of the University of Kentucky and Craig Gundersen of the University found more than nine percent of older Americans were at risk of hunger in 2009—a 79 percent increase since 2001.

The report, “Food Insecurity among Older Adults,” is the first of its kind to examine this issue among people age 50 to 59—the youngest of the baby boomers. Because they are typically too young for Social Security and Medicare and too old to qualify for programs designed for families with children, this age group can be hit particularly hard in bad economic times. In 2009, 4.9 million 50- to 59-year-olds were at risk of hunger, representing a staggering 38 percent increase over 2007.

The report finds that roughly 11 percent of New yorkers age 50-59 face food insecurity.

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